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RCH ADVERTISING 

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RANCIS H. CASE 




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CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP SERIES NORMAN E. RICHARDSON. Editor 



HANDBOOK OF 
CHURCH ADVERTISING 



BY 

FRANCIS H. CASE 



.^m 



THE ABINGDON PRESS 

NEW YORK CINCINNATI 



,C3 



Copyright, 1 92 1, by 
FRANCIS H. CASE 



MAR 1 1 i92i 
0)C!.A611068 



a CONTENTS 

PAGE 

2^ Editor's Introduction 7 

^ Author's Preface 9 

I. Why Advertise the Church? 13 

"The capital crime against the gospel is to hide it" 
— The inherent value of the church — A definition of 
church advertising — Truth in advertising — Early reli- 
gious publicity — Motives in church advertising — Per- 
manency of form — Stimulating productivity — Winning 
the unchurched — The motive of economy — The obli- 
gation to advertise. 

II. Some General Principles of Advertising Applied 

TO Church Advertising 23 

Attention, interest, conviction, action — Selling an 
idea — Meeting competitive attractions — Elements that 
focus attention — Life as an object of human interest — 
Exaggeration a boomerang — Line upon line — Obeying 
the impulse — Symbolism, a shorthand of ideas — Test 
questions. 

III. Who Shall Have Charge of the Church's Adver- 
tising? 41 

Means commensurate with the end — Does a minister 
know how to advertise? — Lack of time as an excuse 
for neglecting advertising — Actual work by a com- 
mittee — Its value to the church — The newspaper ex- 
pert — asset or liability? — The business manager as 
advertiser. 

IV What to Advertise 49 

Features of the church and its work that should be 
advertised — Press-agenting the preacher — Strength and 
weakness in the sermon topic — The emphasis upon the 
whole program — Educating the membership — Arousing 
the indifferent — The mood of the militant church — 
Advertising results rather th^n contemplated projects 
— Christian modesty in the use)of publicity — Learning 
from others. 



4 CONTENTS 

PAGE 

V. Channels of Publicity 65 

The advertising power and function of the pulpit — 
Using the spoken word — "Minute Men" — Direct ad- 
vertising — The letter — How to write it — One-cent 
postage or two? — The Bulletin — Extravagant make-up 
— Second-class privileges — Display advertising to reach 
the unchurched — Paper appeals — Bulletin boards — 
Newspaper advertisements — Prostitution of the press — 
Centenary publicity — The local editor and the pastor 
— Motion pictures — Truth in action — The universal 
language — Parables of the Master. 

VI. Making Type Talk 87 

Killing good copy — Improving bad — Some sample 
set-ups — Half-tones and etchings — Type as expression 
of character — What makes for legibility — All emphasis 
is no emphasis — Ideas rather than words — Table of 
type fonts and space requirements. 

VII. Adaptation to Local Conditions loi 

Discovering the constituency — Skill in taking aim 
as a prerequisite for good marksmanship — The search- 
light on one's own church — Identifying competitors' 
methods of attack — Locating origins — Dealing the 
final blow — Completing the task — Being Roman in 
Rome — The challenge of the community — Civic pride. 

VIII. The Seasonal Approach 119 

Making hay while the sun shines — How one church 
plans its work — Holy days and holidays — Capitalizing 
the currents of community consciousness — The ecclesi- 
astical year — Religious values in Thrift Week and 
other established institutions. 

IX. National Advertising and the Church 131 

Responsibility for means by those who fix a goal — 
Appeal of a national institution — Limits of national 
advertising — Team work — Unity of action — Command 
of resources — Adaptability to the wares of the church 
— A universal market — No conflict between local units 
— Furnishing direction for a campaign — Expert counsel 
— Supplying the materials. 



CONTENTS 5 

PAGE 

X. The Budget: How to Obtain Funds 147 

Making advertising pay for itself — The blessing of 
mounting costs — Desirability of direct returnvS — An 
interchurch budget — How to start advertising — 
— Putting the cost in the budget. 

XI. How Advertising Builds the Church 161 

The boomerang of insincere advertising — "We must 
make good" — The folly of spasmodic endeavor — When 
a well-known church speaks — Increasing financial re- 
sources — Multiplying the points of personal and com- 
munity contact — Church membership — Community 
interest and service. 

Xn. The Goal of Church Advertising 175 

Identity of purposes — Advertising an aid, not a 
substitute — Means never greater than the end — Join- 
ing power and instrument — The strategic position of 
the church — In the cotmtry — In the city — Sharpened 
competition — The answer of the church — The rebirth 
of zeal. 



EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION 

The science of advertising, applied to the problems 
of church publicity, is not only a legitimate and fasci- 
nating subject; it has come to be a practical necessity. 
The task of bringing the work of the church to the 
attention of all the people of the community is an 
essential factor in the success of the church. Other 
and competing institutions have been quick to take 
advantage of the technique of advertising as perfected 
by experts. Such institutions are getting the crowds. 
Their increased patronage is due not to superior service 
always, but to shrewd adoptions of the principles and 
methods of advertising. 

The purpose of the author has been the preparation 
of a handbook which will be of greatest service to the 
busy pastor or committeeman who is facing imme- 
diate and practical problems. Many principles and 
practical suggestions included in the treatise have been 
wrought out in the experiences of successful religious 
publicists. Whenever practicable the original phrasing 
has been preserved, for it reflects the personal attitude 
as well as the thoughts of those who have felt strongly 
about this matter. The backlying principles of soci- 
ology, psychology, and scientific management have been 
kept in the background. The chief concern has been 
with their application to the particular problems of 
placing the church effectively before its entire and 
rightful constituency. 

This volume has a distinct place as one of the Abing- 
don Religious Education Texts. Church pubhcity is 
essentially an educative project. There are certain 

7 



8 EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION 

well-defined educational principles that need to be 
followed in creating a favorable public opinion toward 
the church. This work might well be used as the basis 
of study in a community training school or in any 
other place where the vital interests of religious educa- 
tion are being considered in a series of study periods. 
To know the educative process as appHed in this par- 
ticular field is an essential quaHfication of the director 
of religious education. He will find this volume in- 
dispensable. 

Norman E. Richardson. 
Northwestern University. 



AUTHOR'S PREFACE 

The Associated Advertising Clubs of the World 
chose well when they selected for their motto the word 
^^Truth.'' Dishonesty in advertising is suicidal. But 
^^ truth" also is a freedom-giving idea of which the 
church has been and is the special custodian and pub- 
lisher. What more natural, then, than that these 
advertisers should desire to see the power of adver- 
tising appHed to the work of the church? 

In 1916, at the Philadelphia convention, the Church 
Department of the Associated Advertising Clubs was 
organized under the direction of Dr. Christian F. 
Reisner. At that time the parables of Jesus and the 
epistles of Paul were not commonly thought of as 
ancient applications of the principles employed to-day 
in picture presentation and printed publicity. Yet the 
pioneers in modern church advertising preached their 
convictions with such apostoHc fervor that church 
leaders are now asking, not ^Ts it possible?'' but ^^How 
can it be done?" 

At the Indianapolis convention in 1920 it was pro- 
posed that the addresses given in the Church Depart- 
mental be preserved and made the basis of a hand- 
book for the nonprofessional church advertiser. Most 
of the speakers furnished copies of their manuscripts 
for this purpose and from them this book was largely 
produced. The experience and knowledge of these 
specialists is the best guarantee that the suggestions 
herein contained have merit. The combined counsel 

9 



lo AUTHOR'S PREFACE 

of these men means values that could not be had in a 
book written by one individual. 

The subject is one that will lend itself easily to the 
classroom method. For instance, Chapter II affords 
large opportunity for practice in preparing advertising 
copy to illustrate the several principles outlined. The 
laboratory work which may be done with Chapter V is 
similarly limitless. Planning of an advertising program, 
an advertising budget, the organization of a publicity 
committee, the preparation of copy for different ac- 
tivities or for the several channels of pubhcity — these 
are all practical problems that will suggest themselves 
in the study of the several chapters. 

To each of the contributors the compiler wishes to 
express his sincere appreciation for their complete co- 
operation. Special mention should be made of the 
untiring assistance of Dr. Christian F. Reisner, presi- 
dent of the Church Advertising Department of the 
Associated Advertising Clubs. Church advertisers will 
be forever indebted to him for blazing the trail. Much 
credit is also due to Professor Norman E. Richardson, 
who originally conceived the plan of this volume, and 
whose generous editorial supervision is responsible for 
whatever merits of presentation it may have. 

The church is striving to usher in a New Day and 
take its proper place therein. In sending out this vol- 
ume at such a time, the compiler cannot but pray that 
it will be a true servant of the Truth. 

Chicago, Illinois. 

October, 1920. 

The Hst of those whose Indianapolis addresses are 

incorporated is as follows: 

The Hon. E. T. Meredith, Secretary of Agriculture, and editor of 
''Successful Farming," Des Moines. 



AUTHOR'S PREFACE ii 

Wm. H. Rankin, president W. H. Rankin Co., Chicago, with branches 
in a number of cities. 

Merle Sidener, Indianapolis, chairman of the committee which 
searches out and prosecutes dishonest advertisers. 

The Rev. P. A. Heckman, pastor CathoHc Church, Waco, Texas. 

Lupton A. Wilkinson, advertising manager, Baptist Forward Move- 
ment. 

The Rev. Chas. A. Alden, D.D., pastor First Universalist Church, 
Columbus, Ohio. 

The Rev. Carl D. Case, D.D., pastor Oak Park Baptist Church, 
Chicago, who recently raised $500,000 for a new church by adver- 
tising methods. 

The Rev. W. R. Warren, D.D., editor The World Call (Christian 
Church), Indianapolis. 

William C. Freeman. The most widely known writer of advertising 
copy in America. 

Herbert H. Smith, manager of pubHcity for the Presbyterian Church 
in America. 

T. H. McGrew, superintendent of United Typothetae of America 
School of Printing, which is supported by all printers in America, 
Indianapolis. 

The Rev. Horace Westwood, D.D., pastor First Unitarian Church, 
Toledo, Ohio. 

The Rev. Roy L. Smith, D.D., pastor Simpson Methodist Episcopal 
Church, Minneapolis. 

K. H. Fulton, president of Poster Advertising Company, O. J. Gude 
Company, of all the bill-board organizations in America, and of 
the two companies that own the outdoor advertising organizations 
of New York. 

Homer J. Buckley, Buckley, Dement & Co., Direct by Mail Advertis- 
ing Agents, Chicago. A specialist in the preparation of sales- 
letters. 

The Rev. C. C. Marshall, D.D., director of stereopticon. Motion 
Pictures Department, Centenary Conservation Committee, New 
York city. 

Herman A. Groth, treasurer, W. H. Rankin Co., Chicago. 

C. S. Clark, director of advertising, Interchurch World Movement. 
Mr. Clark produced much of the copy for the campaigns of the 
Red Cross organization. 

Frank D. Webb, advertising manager of the Baltimore News, the 
first and most successful daily to carry page advertisements of 
church activities. 

Wm. H. Johns, president George Batten Company, New York, and 
chairman of the committee which conducted the government ad- 
vertising during the war. 

W. F. McClure, publicity director. Fort Dearborn National Bank, 
Chicago, and chairman of the Advertising Governing Board in 
America. 

The Rev. C. Jefferson McCombe, Methodist Episcopal Church, 
Benton Harbor, Michigan. 

James W. Brown, publisher of Editor and Publisher, New York city, 



12 AUTHOR'S PREFACE 

the weekly trade paper read by every maker of newspapers in 
America. 

James Schermerhorn, publisher Detroit Times, Detroit. The Detroit 
Times was the first great daily to declare that religious principles 
would govern its selection of news and sale of advertising space. 

Graham Patterson, president and publisher. Christian Herald, New 
York city. 

The Rev. S. W. McGill, D.D., campaign manager, Presbyterian 
Progressive Program, Nashville, Tennessee. 

J. T. B. Smith, publicity director Centenary Committee on Con- 
servation and Advance, Chicago. 

E. A. Hungerford, director of stewardship Interchurch World Move- 
ment and International Committee of the Y. M. C. A., New York 
city. 

The Rev. Christian F. Reisner, D.D., president of the Church Ad- 
vertising Department of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the 
World, and author of Church Publicity. 



I 

WHY ADVERTISE THE CHURCH? 

"A city set on a hill . . . /' 

'^The capital crime against the gospel . . . 

The Inherent Value of the Church 

What Is Church Advertising? A definition 
The basis of advertising 
Early reKgious publicity 

Motives in Church Advertising 

Putting the message into permanent form 
Stimulating the church's productivity 
Winning the unchurched 
The motive of economy 

The Obligation to Advertise 



WHY ADVERTISE THE CHURCH? 

**A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither 
do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on 
a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the 
house. Let your light so shine before men, that they 
may see your good works, and glorify your Father which 
is in heaven." — Matt. 5. 14-16. 

''The very word 'gospel/ 'good news,' involves publi- 
cation, proclamation, dissemination. To hide it is to de- 
stroy it. There can be no light except by shining. There 
can be no speech that is not spoken. There can be no 
gospel that is hidden. The capital crime against the gospel 
is to hide it.''^ 

THE INHERENT VALUE OF THE CHURCH 

'^The church is the most potential institution for 
uplift and inspiration in the world to-day.'' It was 
not* a preacher talking. It was Merle Sidener, of the 
Sidener-Van Riper Advertising Agency, of Indianapolis. 

And there is nothing startling about that. It is not 
exaggeration. It is plain statement of fact. Whether 
one be an active propagandist for the Christian religion 
or not, even the most cursory examination of Christian 
and non-Christian lands, their past and their present, 
forces such a conclusion upon one. 

''We represent the largest firm in the world. We 
have the best goods. We represent the greatest cause 
for time and eternity." The Catholic priest^ who, 
doubtless, was familiar with one of the most gigantic 
publicity schemes in America, spoke for more than his 
ov/n church when he urged that the greatest firm sell 
its goods by advertising. There is no question about 

1 W. R. Warren, editor of The World Call, Indianapolis. 
2 The Rev. Fr. P. A. Heckman, Waco, Texas. 

15 



i6 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

the church's having what the world needs. But can it 
convince the world of that fact? Can it produce those 
goods on a scale for world consumption? Can it find or 
create the market? 

WHAT IS CHURCH ADVERTISING? 

Advertising is demonstration of values y not inflation. 
That is the principle behind the statement, ^^A satisfied 
customer is our best advertisement/' The art of ad- 
vertising is the art of bringing values before people in 
such a fashion that they will be stimulated to desire 
and ultimately to acquire them. As such it is an educa- 
tive process. It seeks the stimulation of existing poten- 
tial wants so that they become felt needs. 

The basis of advertising. — Modern advertising is 
built on the word ^^truth." That word 
is the keyword of the Associated Ad- 
vertising Clubs of the World. Fictitious 
and dishonest inflation of values is not 
advertising, unless negative advertising 
be so called. PubHcity permanently aids 
neither business nor religion unless truth be told. 

Church advertising, in a pecuHar sense, is the dis- 
semination of truth. It is the creation or stimulation 
of desires on the part of people not already connected 
with the church to belong to it, to participate in its 
activities, and to declare allegiance to the One who 
could say, ^T am the Truth.'' It involves the creation 
of confidence in the church as an institution capable of 
meeting the demands placed upon it; in short, it is 
selling the church to the community. It is keeping the 
program of the church, its special features and its mes- 
sage, before all people. 

Early religious publicity. — It is not strange that 




WHY ADVERTISE THE CHURCH? 17 

this method of dissemination should have been early 
allied with the ^^most potential uplifting force of the 
world." ^'When printing was invented, the Almighty 
intended that this art should be made use of to promote 
his glory and the salvation of souls. One of the first 
books printed was the Bible. "^ 

The amazing thing is ^^the extent to which the fathers 
of Christianity surpassed their age in the field of pub- 
Kcity. If ever the flaming word and its distribution 
aided a great cause, it was in the days when the rehgion 
of Christ was passing from outlawry to become a world 
institution. However much less the inspiration may be, 
there is a complete analogy, so far as method is con- 
cerned, between the modern mission story, reaching the 
rural congregation through plate service in the small 
papers, and those letters of the early church leaders, 
conceived in prayers and sent with peril to the Ephe- 
sians and the Colossians and the Galatians."^ 

The refrain in that miHtant hymn, "O Zion, haste, 
thy mission high fulfilling," suggests the self -propagating 
spirit of the gospel, 'Tublish glad tidings, tidings of 
peace, redemption and release." 

MOTIVES IN CHURCH ADVERTISING 

And yet advertising is in no sense a substitute for 
the real work of the church. The disfavor with which 
it has been viewed in certain quarters has been due to 
the false conception that advertising is an end in itself. 
It is not. It is primarily, and sincerely, a means to an 
end. The church has something else to do besides 
putting on an aggressive program of publicity. It ad- 
vertises because of its mission. There is a divine com- 



3 The Rev. Fr. P. A. Heckman, Waco, Texas. 

* Mr. Lupton Wilkinson, publicity director, Northern Baptist New- World Move- 
ment. 



i8 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

mission which it is bound to fulfill. The sincere and 
humble desire to serve makes it necessary for the church 
to bring itself and its work before all people. 

Putting the message into permanent form. — ^There 
is a sense in which talk is cheap. ^^The modern man 
does not expect to get information by hearing. 
Even when he attends a meeting he is apt to give indif- 
ferent attention to what is said. He takes it for granted 
that if it is worth while it will be put into type for him 
to read and preserve. It is hard for us to believe that a 
thing is of much importance until we have seen it in 
print."^ It is so easy to print that thoughts of real mo- 
ment are expected to be put into this permanent form. 

Stimulating the church's productivity.— 'It is 
often as hard to get the membership of my own church 
enthused about the work we are doing as to interest 
people outside the membership. To those who are 
really interested, a mere announcement is usually all 
that is needed. But to those who are half-hearted in 
their interest and irregular in their attendance, more 
vigorous methods are necessary. The reason for half- 
interest and irregularity must be found and measures 
devised to meet the situation.''^ 

Advertising may not only serve to interest half- 
hearted members in the work that is being carried on, 
but it will also stimulate them to greater endeavor. 
When Christ said, 'Tf any man will do his will, he 
shall know of the doctrine," he was touching a prin- 
ciple that works in all fields. Wherever a church ad- 
vertises a program of service it becomes a point of 
honor to complete it. 

''Our church has adopted a slogan which is at once 

5 Mr. Lupton Wilkinson. 

6 The Rev. Roy L. Smith, D.D., Pastor, Simpson Methodist Episcopal Church, 
Minneapolis. 



WHY ADVERTISE THE CHURCH? 19 

a catchword and a challenge. We call ourselves The 
House of Happiness.' By keeping the idea before the 
people it has acted as a stimulus to make it a fact as well 
as a phrase. It has done much to increase hospitality 
and friendliness.''^ 

The failure of an advertised program is particularly 
hard to bear. Fear of failure is not a high motive, but 
under some circumstances it is legitimate. Do not ad-» 
vertise unless you really intend to deliver the goods. 
On the other hand, remember that pride and the thrill 
of participation in a real project unite to achieve a 
promised goal. Enthusiastic and loyal interest is 
created by an ever-challenging objective. 

Winning the unchurched. — ^^At least twenty-five 
millions of our citizenship to-day rarely attend church. 
Great auditoriums are half filled Sunday morning, and 
scores of them are not even opened at night. Motion pic- 
tures attract thousands, and then give little moral food, 
much less anything about religion. Many of the remain- 
der of the people spend Sunday in playing golf, riding in 
autos, loafing in parks, playing cards, and dancing."^ 

The effectiveness of the church in competing with 
other interests for the allegiance of this nonchurched 
multitude is strikingly presented in the survey made 
of two days in a typical city by the Interchurch World 
Movement. The other agencies whose attendance was 
counted included such institutions as the theater, dance 
hall, and pool room. 

"The survey disclosed that the total attendance of 
boys and girls upon these other agencies on a Saturday 
amounted to 2,780, while that of adults reached 7,372, 

7 The Rev. Roy L. Smith, D.D., Pastor, Simpson Methodist Episcopal Church, 
Minneapolis. 

8 The Rev. Christian F. Relsner, D.D., formerly pastor of Grace Methodist 
Episcopal Church, New York City. 



20 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 



making a total attendance of 10,102. On the following 
Sunday 3,436 boys and girls attended church, Sunday 
school, etc., and 5,904 adults, making the total attend- 
ance upon church services 9,340. So far as the number 
of children is concerned, this comparison seems not un- 
favorable. It should be remembered, however, that the 
church attendance is confined almost wholly to one day 
of the week, while attendance upon these other agencies 



TWO DAYS IN A TYPICAL CITY 
Population 51»000 



SATURDAY 

THEATRES. DANCE HALLS, POOL ROOMS 



FOLLOWING SUNDAY 

CHURCHES. SUNDAY SCHOOLS.ETC. 




WHAT OF THE OTHER FIVE? 



is spread over the entire week, probably reaching its 
maximum, however, on Saturday.''^ 

Advertising must be looked upon as a means to 
attract this unchurched multitude to the program of 
the church. No matter how great the plant, nor how 
comprehensive the plan of service, nor how determined 
the devotion, these will fail unless they be presented so 
as to interest this group. If advertising has ^^sold'' 
these people some other values, why should it not sell 



9B. S. Winchester, "Are We in Earnest about Religious Education?" 
Church School, April, 1920. 



The 



WHY ADVERTISE THE CHURCH? 21 

the church to them? Has the church a program that is 
too small? Has it too few selling points? Did the 
Christ give to us a commission impossible of successful 
presentation against counter attractions? 

^^The new program of the church must be advertised 
until it is understood. Then it will appeal to red- 
blooded folk by its call to man's implanted love of 
service. One great denomination will not aid in build- 
ing a church which does not include a community- 
plant. Recreation rooms, entertainment facilities, edu- 
cation and industrial training, Americanization programs, 
religious education — these are to be carried on appro- 
priately in country, city, and congested neighborhood. 
Keeping a church open only on Sundays restricts the 
appeal to the unchurched masses."^^ 

The motive of economy. — 'The most expensive 
thing about a church is an empty pew,'' for, as Dr. Roy 
Smith points out, "it costs no more to prepare a service 
for a houseful than a handful.'' The colored man who; 
refused an easy opportunity to earn a quarter with the 
words, "No, sah, I don' need to earn no quatah; I'se 
got a quatah in ma pocket now,"^^ has his counterpart 
in those churches which are content to minister to less 
than capacity. Large-scale production in industry has 
been made possible by the increased demand which adver- 
tising creates. That same agency stands ready to reduce 
production costs and to increase service for the church. 

But there is another sense in which advertising means 
economy. "I cannot afford to speak to such a restricted 
audience," repHed a noted publicist when invited to 
occupy a conspicuous pulpit. Through his press work 
he was reaching tens of thousands instead of the few 

10 Dr. Christian F. Reisner. 

" Mr. Homer J. Buckley, Buckley, Dement & Co., Chicago. 



22 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

hundred who would have been within reach of his voice. 
"Talk is expensive and limited both in its reach and 
duration. Printing is cheap and unrestricted. It can 
be multiplied by the millions. If it comes to you when 
you are busy, it will await your leisure. If you fail to 
understand it on first reading, or forget it after a day or 
a month, you can turn to it again.'' ^^ 

THE OBLIGATION TO ADVERTISE 

Here, then, we have the church, the most pofentipJ 
institution for uphft and redemption in the world. Its 
message is sorely needed by the individual. Its program, 
unconsciously, yet none the less surely, is demanded by 
society. Its own membership needs the stimulus of an 
ever-challenging objective. Millions of unchurched peo- 
ple must learn of its program. And all this must be 
done in spite of counter attractions which are now ahead 
in the game. 

Why advertise ! — ^^If men can weave dreams and 
fancies and phrases about an automobile tire until 
readers cease to visualize corded rubber and feel the 
joy of swift, sure movement,'' certainly religion can 
use for its sublime ends the same powerful medium. 

^ There are two questions which I should like to ask 
every church leader in the United States: 

^^First: If there were a preacher whose name was as 
well known as William Wrigley or Henry 
Ford, is it likely that the preacher's prod- 
uct would be less used? 

'^Second: What would become of the theater if that 
institution advertised itself only within its 
own walls and by half-inch advertisements 
once a week?"^^ 

12 Mr. W. R. Warren. i3 Mr. Lupton Wilkinson. 



II 

SOME GENERAL PRINCIPLES 

OF ADVERTISING 

APPLIED TO CHURCH ADVERTISING 

The Identity of Principles 
Principles Defined and Applied 

Attention is fundamental 
Awakening a sense of values 
Truth in advertising 
Aids to memory 
The power of suggestion 

The Use of Church Trade-marks 

What a trade-mark does 

The tests of a good trade-mark 

Some final questions 



n 

SOME GENERAL PRINCIPLES 

OF ADVERTISING 

APPLIED TO CHURCH ADVERTISING 

THE IDENTITY OF PRINCIPLES 

The fundamental law of all good advertising is that 
an advertisement must be seen, read, believed, and 
remembered. Those four words indicate the problem 
of the advertiser, whether his wares be spiritual or 
physical. Unless the advertising be seen it does no 
good. The first problem, then, is that of gaining at- 
tention. But although seen, unless the advertisement 
is read, it will yield no results. When read, the adver- 
tisement must be believed. No one knowingly surren- 
ders himself to dishonesty and deception. Then, if 
an advertisement is seen, read, and believed, the only 
remaining problem is to have it stay clearly in the 
mind of the prospect, and he will, in time, demand 
the article thus advertised. 

Two corollaries are immediately evident. First: 
the advertiser must know how to present his proposi- 
tion so that it will be seen, read, believed, and remem- 
bered by the class of people to whom he wishes to appeal. 
This calls for an understanding of human nature, a 
certain knowledge of psychology as found in the con- 
stituency of the church. Second: the more readily a 
proposition lends itself to terms that will be seen, 
read, beheved, and remembered, the more easily and 
the more successfully can that proposition be put across 
by advertising. 

25 



26 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

How do the message and mission of the church lend 
themselves to an advertising program? The president 
of a poster company declares: ^^An idea can be marketed 
just as easily as you can market a piece of manufactured 
goods. The necessity of supporting a church is just 
as much a heart-and-mind appeal as is the donation 
of funds to a particular needy and worthy society. 
If people will go to the store to buy something they 
had never even heard of before just because adver- 
tising brought it to their attention, then these same 
people can be reached for the church — to attend its 
services and to appreciate its work. Why? Because 
it is easier to sell the idea of morality and good works 
to a man whose childhood was developed along those 
lines, whose soul is seeking the better impulses. In 
advertising parlance you have a market of prospects 
susceptible to what you have to show them.^'^ 

PRINCIPLES DEFINED AND APPLIED 

Applied to our problem, these principles have been 
stated thus: "The church must create favorable atten- 
tion, develop specific interest, impel thoughtful investi- 
gation, and arouse strong desires by all the laws of 
psychology in acquainting and familiarizing the com- 
munity with its stock and trade. We have traded 
heavily on 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,' as though 
it were a religious virtue to seclude the things of God 
and sacrilegious to expose them. It is perfectly 
astounding the enormous volume of business the church 
has transacted without producing samples.''^ 

Attention is fundamental. — The advertisement must 



1 H. K. Fultori, president of Poster Advertising Company, and president of 0. J. 
Gude Company. 

2 The Rev. C. Jefferson McCombe, Methodist Episcopal Church, Benton Harbor, 
Michigan. 



ADVERTISING PRINCIPLES APPLIED 27 

be brought into the consciousness of the person to 
whom it is directed. What we call inattention is, in 
reality, merely attention focused upon some object 
other than the one desired. Pure inattention, as such, 
does not exist in consciousness. Obviously, then, 
gaining attention to a desired matter is a problem of 
making one attraction stronger than another, and the 
difficulty of the problem is measured by the relative 
strength of the competing attractions. 

The mind can picture clearly no more than four 
things at one time. If it tries to hold more, the result 
is blurred. If less, the picture becomes relatively 
clearer and more distinct. Have some one write a 
headline of three or four words. Then one of six or 
seven words. Give each an equally brief glance, and 
note which you can reproduce correctly. Try the same 
with four numbers, four articles, or four units of any 
sort. Then put down twenty characters. The same 
ability to reproduce four remains, but there is no cer- 
tainty that anyone at all will be remembered, for there 
is no focusing of attention. 

This principle has immediate appHcation for the 
advertiser. Whenever a single Une is meant to be 
read at one glance it will express an idea in five words 
or less. Headline writers on the daily press have a 
rule that each deck of a head shall convey a distinct 
idea. Test your lines. Do you have a central idea? 
Does it dominate the page? 

In the advertisement itself no more than five ideas, 
and preferably fewer, will be developed. No adver- 
tisement should have ''fifthly," ''sixthly," "seventhly," 
and '^eighthly." The same thing may be said of a 
sermon. If there is one big, all-sufficient reason why 
a certain individual should get into the program of 



28 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

the church, impress it upon him so that it will never 
be forgotten. Force it into his consciousness so strongly 
that it will exclude other considerations. Do not 
scatter attention and lessen the apparent importance 
of an issue by suggesting a multitude of minor matters. 

The famihar gospel mission slogan '^ Jesus Saves," 
when directed to those who want salvation, is perfect 
advertising. It is one idea, stated clearly and simply, 
and it is the complete answer to the felt need. 

As an idea competes for attention its chances of 
winning are increased in proportion as it differs from 
what has gone before. Color aids. There is sound 
psychology behind the use of red and green lights for 
signaKng devices on railroads. Nor is it a chance affair 
that red is used for danger. It is the greatest chal- 
lenger of all colors. Blood has the inherent power to 
gain attention. Green comes next, and black is third. 
Contrasts command attention. Novelty is a primary 
quality. Sameness deadens sensitivity. This prin- 
ciple holds for both mechanical arrangement and subject- 
matter. 

It is to be remembered, however, that a jargon of 
noises or symbols is as confusing as anything else. The 
very strength of this method of compelling attention is 
an indication of the chance for its abuse. Use shockers 
with care. Remember the boy who cried, ^Wolf, woK!'' 
when there was no wolf. 

Again, of two ideas before the mind, the one will 
gain attention which is most readily understandable. 
In display advertising make the head tell the story. 
Fancy and elaborately ornate designs which hide the 
meaning are to be avoided. They do not focus atten- 
tion, they divide it. Trick advertising cheapens. For 
most people puzzles are not attractions; they are dis- 



ADVERTISING PRINCIPLES APPLIED 29 

tractions. Too long has it been a hidden gospel. Christ 
constantly endeavored to get his message into the lan- 
guage of everyday life. So prepare your church 
advertising that it will be immediately understood by 
the people to whom it is directed. 

Awakening a sense of values. — Every successful 
preacher knows that the first task in introducing a 
theme to an audience is 10 translate it into the experienc*^ 
of his hearers. A connection when once established 
may make possible new development, but the primary 
relationship must be secured. 

The same principle is followed in successful adver- 
tising. Specific interest must be developed. The 
advertisement should bring to mind positive and pleas- 
urable associations. It must be human. Give your 
church advertising such a personaKty that people will 
be as glad to see it as they would be to meet a friend. 

Much church publicity had been characterized by 
Mr. Graham Patterson, of the Christian Herald, as 
directed to '^Maiden aunts with one foot on the grave 
and with mighty Kttle real interest in life. Across the 
colorless pages you could have written: 

Tf there shoiild be another flood, 

For hither refuge fly, 
Though all the world should be submerged 

This book would still be dry.' 

We need men on the religious press who can tell a 
good, wholesome story and describe an amusing inci- 
dent with a touch of the dramatic instinct and who are 
not above printing it. If your editor lacks humor, 
get a new one. Religion is life, and anything that 
pertains to life belongs in the church's program and 
in its pubHcity." 



30 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

Withal the highest possible standards are to be 
maintained. The use of cheap humor is disastrous. 
It is the pecuKar function of the church to point out 
permanent values and to pass over the transitory and 
fleeting. It is this which gives the church a tremendous 
advantage over the commercial world. It deals with 
eternal and universal values. It is intimately related 
to the deepest emcticnal experiences of life. Its adver- 
tising should take advantage of the fact. 

Truth in advertising. — Tell it as it is. Exaggeration 
is a boomerang. The church may here put in practice 
a principle which it appreciates in the nature of the 
case, but one which business had to learn by costly 
experience. ^'Honesty is the best poUcy.'' Paradoxical 
as it may seem, the disseminators of ^Truth'' need to 
use especial care at this point. 

"It is true that we can never overestimate the goods, 
the eternal goods, which through God's goodness we 
have at our disposal; but how often do we read in 
the pages that ^the Rev. So-and-So will deliver a sermon. 
He is a silver-tongued orator, the greatest in this sec- 
tion of the country,' when it is well known that he is 
a past master in the art of gently putting folks to sleep 
by his preaching."^ 

It is very easy to promise something which is not 
produced. Any reputable business is dependent upon 
repeat orders for its success. If the goods delivered do 
not measure up to what is claimed for them, the 
institution might as well close its doors. It will have to 
do so, ultimately. We live in an intensely practical 
age, and it is no less the task of the church to pro- 
duce the goods advertised than it is of any other 
respectable institution. 

3 The Rev. Fr. P. A. Heckman. 



ADVERTISING PRINCIPLES APPLIED 31 

Complete sincerity is an important attribute of 
honesty. Certain unusual presentations commend them- 
selves as an aid to attention, but care must be taken 
to see that the idea is not too novel, that the theme 
is sincere. Slurs and sarcasm are always dangerous 
weapons. Keep your advertising optimistic, yet sin- 
cere. ^^A clergyman once gave his subject to the pub- 
licity committee as 'Are you a Man?' To his horror, 
they advertised it as 'Do You Wear Pants?' Freakish 
advertising is always questionable."^ 

The crux of the question is this: Is the tone of the 
advertising warranted by the goods that will be de- 
Hvered? Do not advertise sensationally unless you 
have sensationalism to deHver. The tragedy of mis- 
leading advertising with us is not merely lost business, 
but a toll in human lives. 

Indifference is no chance affair. There are but three 
explanations of the unchurched in America. The first 
is that our message is not great enough, that it does 
not answer human needs. To admit such an explanation 
is to confess defeat. The other two explanations are 
inadequate presentation of what the church has to 
offer, or superinflation with inadequate production of 
the goods advertised. If our message is needed by the 
world, and the world does not receive it, either the 
people have not been properly introduced to it, or, 
having been introduced, they have found that it did 
not come up to what was claimed for it. Neither of 
these explanations is an excuse. Rather they are 
indictments. 

Honest advertising is the answer. 'Tf you have 
nothing which you can advertise honestly, get busy, 



* The Rev. S. Walters McGill, campaign manager, Presbyterian Progressive Pro- 
gram, Nashville, Tennessee. 



32 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

or get out of the business/' is an admonition which 
need not be confined to one under suspicion for fraudu- 
lent promotion of worthless stocks. 

Aids to memory. — It is extremely important that 
advertising should have a cumulative effect. There is 
value in a name. Memory is built by repetition, asso- 
ciation, and cultivation of the apperceptive faculties. 
This does not mean that one advertisement should be 
an exact replica of what has gone before, but there 
should be a sufficient number of recognizable elements 
in an advertisement to link it unmistakably with what 
has preceded. Educative advertising is essentially 
^^line upon Hne, precept upon precept, here a little and 
there a little." 

In these two advertisements there is some similarity. 
Both are clearly from the same church. Yet each 
carries a distinct message. One deals with '^The Re- 
sponses of the Congregation,'' and the other with 
^^The Music of the Church." But the reiterated message 
of ^The Peoples Church Seats Free" will eventually 
come to the consciousness of the people in the com- 
munity just as ^^Eventually, Why not now?" will 
eventually come to the consciousness of the purchaser 
of flour, regardless of whether subsequent considera- 
tions lead to the purchase of a particular brand or not. 
Ivory soap is advertised in many ways, and with differ- 
ent textual and illustrative material, yet ^Tt Floats" 
and '^99tVo pure" always identify it. 



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ADVERTISING PRINCIPLES APPLIED 35 

An advertising campaign, by arrangement of words, 
type, and pictures, should suggest a related idea. The 
text of forty words should suggest a sermon of one 
hundred and fifty. A headline should start a complete 
train of thought, "li my appropriation allowed me to 
purchase only four hundred inches in the course of a 
year, I should infinitely prefer to use eight inches per 
week throughout the year, than ten displays of forty 
inches each. Spasmodic advertising may produce 
results, but it will not produce permanent results." ^ 

The power of suggestion. — ''As a man thinketh in 
his heart, so is he.'' All exhortations to right thinking 
have a sound principle of psychology for their justifi- 
cation. All thought tends to be reproduced in action. 
If I ask, ''What is that crawling object on the other 
side of the room?" your inclination is to look for it. 
The old game of "Simon says 'Thumbs Up,' " has its 
interest in the fact that the suggestion of "Thumbs Up" 
or "Thumbs Down" is apt to be followed regardless 
of whether Simon says so or not. Hold your hand 
before you. Think of moving your index finger. Can 
you do it? The motor activity is the result of the 
mental stimulus. 

Much good advertising matter is weakened by the 
omission of a direct suggestion. "Go to Church" is a 
slogan of great value. "Hear the Music at Trinity" 
is probably better, for it not only gives the suggestion 
to the motor senses, but it accompanies it with an 
indication of the value to be gained by certain conduct. 
Most boys would respond to such advertising as this: 
"Can you swim fifty yards? All Scouts at First Church 
Can. Be a Scout!" "Know that handshake at St. 
PauFs" is another slogan with drawing power. A 

* The Rev. Horace Westwood, D.D. 



36 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

certain Western university centers all its advertising 
about the words, ^'Attend the University." 

When the Baptists of Oak Park, Chicago, undertook 
to build a church by advertising they saw to it that 
^4n every advertisement there was a suggestion of 
something to be done by the reader. Partly, it was 
the announcement of meetings to attend, of addresses 
to be heard, of pictures to be seen. The interest aroused 
was given a chance of motor expression. Chiefly, of 
course, the suggestion was to subscribe. The aim was 
to repeat the idea so often that it would become a 
Banquo's ghost unless the reader yielded. To produce 
by the law of suggestion, a restlessness until something 
is done — that is good advertising.'' ^ 

THE USE OF CHURCH TRADE-MARKS 

The significance of association and symbolism already 
has been mentioned. Their highest development is 
found in the employment of trade-marks. The Cadillac 
Motor Company makes a certain coat of arms carry 
the idea of 'The Standard of the World.'' The Hudson 
triangle and the Maxwell shield are similar identifica- 
tion marks. To see them on a machine means that a 
certain performance may be expected. The Dutch 
Cleanser girl chasing dirt is another well-known trade- 
mark which has the particular value that in itself it 
carries a suggestion of the work done. 

What a trade-mark does. — All use of trade-marks, 
symbols, and slogans is an attempt to do for an idea 
or a commodity what shorthand does for writing. It 
is to make something which is readily and quickly 
recognizable stand for a larger idea. The principle of 
psychology back of this is that whenever one element 

«The Rev. Carl D. Case, D.D., Oak Park, Illinois. 




*'The average man sees the church lighted up — at night. A lighted church is 
more familiar than a daylight picture. For this reason we have used the lighted 
church. A golden orange color gives the lighted effect." 



ADVERTISING PRINCIPLES APPLIED 37 

of experience comes to consciousness, the entire expe- 
rience tends to be reproduced. This thought is not 
new to the church, but it is safe to say that it has not 
been fully developed. 

Mr. 0. J. Gude, of the O. J. Gude Advertising Com- 
pany, is quoted as saying that church steeples were the 
first form of outdoor advertising.*^ Church bells are of 
the same nature. It should stimulate thought to know 
that a prominent manufacturing company, specializing in 
wedding rings, has lately adopted four well-known church 
edifices as the main feature in its advertisements which 
inaugurated a national selling campaign. The reason 
is obvious: those churches typified the wedding service. 

It would be instructive to go to the man in your 
commimity who has no church affiliation, and ask him 
what church he thinks of when he reads the word 
^^church.'' The association will be the habitual one. 
Likely it will be the one which is doing something that 
repeatedly comes to his attention. If whenever Chris- 
tian service is mentioned in your community, your 
church is thought of, you have been delivering the 
goods advertised. If no activity of any church has 
come to consciousness sufficiently that the public mind 
will associate some definite institution with the word 
church, what a golden opportunity there is for some 
home missionary work! 

^ When you see an arrow, think of Coca-Cola.^' When 
you see a spire, think of a church. But does the spire 
stand for merely a building, or does it stand for the 
service rendered? Does it suggest a Christian life? 
"The House of Happiness'' is an exceptionally good 
slogan, for it suggests one of the products of the insti- 
tution behind the name. 

' Dr. Christian F. Reisner. 



38 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

May not your church stand for so definite a piece 
of work, that its central motif may be caught up in a 
phrase or symbol and made to stand for all time as the 
embodiment of a permanently dependable ideal? 

The tests of a good trade-mark, — There are two 
tests for a trade-mark. Objectively, it must be of easy 
and certain recognition. Subjectively, it must be an 
unj ailing guarantee of quality of service. The use of 
trade-marks is built upon confidence. A trade-mark 
must stand for something dependable. If a trade-mark 
meet the first test, and fail the second, woe is the busi- 
ness, for the symbol will then become a danger signal 
to the public. But if a trade-mark meets both tests, 
if it swiftly and surely symbolizes a church doing its 
full part for the advancement of Christ's kingdom 
on earth, who can calculate its power? 

Some final questions. — The bulletin of the Chicago 
Y. M. C. A. School of Advertising, directed by Mr. 
W. Frank McClure, now in charge of the pubUcity 
department of the Fort Dearborn National Bank, 
and one of the original sponsors for the Department 
of Church Advertising in the Associated Advertising 
Clubs of the World, suggests the following questions 
as tests for good advertising: 

*Ts it true? 
Does it ring with sincerity? 
Does it 'knock' or even slur? 
Has it too much novelty? 
Is the language too flowery? 
Is it grammatical? 

Is the wording as simple and direct as it should be? 
Does each word best express the meaning you want 

to convey? 
Can any part of your text be misunderstood? 



ADVERTISING PRINCIPLES APPLIED 39 

Are the punctuation and spelling correct? 

Is there too much copy for the space? 

Will your text of twenty-five words or less make the 

reader think of a hundred? 
Does the illustration link up with the text? 
Does your 'ad' as a whole have the atmosphere of the 

goods advertised? 
Will it get your message across? 
Will the type set-up and the general lay-out permit the 

text to be read easily? 
Will the 'ad' appeal directly to the audience you want 

it to reach? 
In gauging the sales value of your text, have you put 

yourself in the reader's place? 
Will it sell the goods?" 



Ill 

WHO SHALL HAVE CHARGE OF THE 
CHURCH'S ADVERTISING? 

The Minister as a Sales Manager 
Knowledge of the proposition 
Knowledge of advertising 
Time for doing it 

A Publicity Committee 
Getting a committee 
The scope of its work 
An asset to the church 

The Advertising Expert 

Limitations of the ordinary newspaper man 
The business manager as advertiser 



Ill 

WHO SHALL HAVE CHARGE OF THE 
CHURCH'S ADVERTISING? 

Clearly, if the church should advertise, some one 
must carry the responsibiHty. Any ecclesiastical gather- 
ing or organization which formulates a church policy 
has the obKgation to inaugurate an advertising pro- 
gram commensurate with the task to be done. The 
matter of national advertising will be reserved for a 
later chapter. Here the direction of advertising for 
the program of the church in its community will be 
considered. 

THE MINISTER AS SALES MANAGER 

The traditions that have grown up around the office 
of the minister make it inevitable that, in many churches, 
he will be thought of as the one most able and available 
to carry the responsibility of the church's advertising. 

Knowledge of the proposition. — The minister who 
is doing his task will know the religious needs of his 
community and will know what the several agencies 
in his church are doing to meet those needs. ^Tn busi- 
ness terms, the minister is the general sales manager 
of the church. He is under the necessity of knowing 
the facts concerning his market as well as his product. 
If his organization is not working to capacity, it is 
his business to find out why.''^ 

There is no more profitable bit of self-analysis in 
the world for some churches than that necessary before 
advertising can be done intelligently and efficiently. 
It involves two questions: What are the reHgious 

1 Dr. Roy L. Smith. 

43 



44 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

needs of my parish? What does my church have to 
offer? The minister can well afford to spend much 
time in studying the answer to those questions. 

The actual advertising may be done by the pastor, 
by a special committee, or it may be done by hired 
experts. Regardless of who does the actual work, 
however, the minister ''should approve all plans ^ and in 
most cases he will supply the most valuable suggestions.^^ 
"But/' adds Mr. H. A. Groth, of the William H. Rankin 
Company, "the mechanical end of the advertising 
and the detail work should be delegated to those whose 
special duty it is to see that the advertising is planned 
and executed. This applies no matter what the type 
of advertising; advertisements appearing in the news- 
papers, printed matter as letters, cards, invitations, 
church bulletins, outdoor signs, indoor signs, and 
window cases.'' 

Knowledge of advertising. — Much as the pastor 
may know concerning the goods he wishes to sell, it 
is not usual to find one who has a great acquaintance 
with the principles and methods of advertising. And 
while enthusiasm and zeal are invaluable aids, they 
cannot take the place of technical knowledge of the 
game. The minister is not one whit worse in this re- 
spect than most business executives. Few of them 
are able to construct really good copy. It is done for 
them. The advertising solicitor, to-day, if he is even 
moderately successful, knows that he must be prepared 
to take data on certain goods and write the advertise- 
ment himself. When that is done, the executive and 
the minister may be able to tell whether it is well done 
or not, even though they could not have constructed 
it themselves. 

*lt is high time some theological seminary should 



WHO SHALL HAVE CHARGE? 45 

introduce into its curriculum a course in advertising, 
designed to induce more people to come to church; a 
course in publicity, teaching how the press may be 
utilized to give information to thousands where preach- 
ing reaches only scores; a course in the stimulation of 
reading, intended to inculcate the art of training others 
to read."2 

Time for doing it. — ''Frequently the minister ad- 
vances as an objection the fact that he is too busy to 
come down town and turn in his copy.''^ This is a 
very practical problem for most pastors. Even if they 
had the knowledge to prepare good advertising, the 
time to do it would be a severe drain on their Kmited 
stock of time for doing many things. 

"The soKcitor meets that objection by agreeing to 
call him each week on the phone and take his change 
of copy in that manner. Or if the minister has no 
telephone, a post card will be sent to him, addressed 
to The News, so that all he will have to do is to jot 
down the title of the sermon and any other points which 
he wants to go into his copy. From this the advertise- 
ment will be carefully and attractively preparexl."^ 

Yet the plain fact remains that in hundreds and 
hundreds of instances the advertising will never be 
started unless the pastor takes the initiative. Neither 
scarcity of time nor imperfect knowledge of how to do it 
on the part of the minister, however , can remove the obliga- 
tion to advertise. If there is no one ready to take up 
the work, the pastor must begin it. He should carry 
into the task an intense conviction that his church is 
offering something needed by the community, apply 
all the principles of approach which he uses in his 



2 Mr. W. R. Warren. 

' Mr. Frank D. Webb, advertising manager, The Baltimore News. * Ibid. 



46 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

ordinary ministry, study some compact and reliable 
treatise on advertising, and then advertise! 

A PUBLICITY COMMITTEE 

Immediately, however, the pastor should arrange to 
organize a Publicity Committee to assist in the details 
of the work. All the study of advertising which he 
can make will be of incalculable value in directing the 
advertising, even when the committee or advertising 
expert is ready to take over the greater share of the 
actual work of preparing the copy. 

Getting a committee. — There are few churches in 
which there is not some one who has been attracted 
by the possibilities of advertising. It may be a member 
of the local newspaper's staff. It may be some one 
who is experimenting with a mimeograph. It may be 
that the pastor will have to go over his lists very care- 
fully, but he can find some one who can be interested 
in and who will accept at least partial responsibility 
for the advertising of the church. The most promising 
field of discovery will be the men's brotherhood or 
the young people's organization. Here is an oppor- 
tunity for lay leadership and service. 

The scope of its work. — Some one person must be 
responsible. Assistants may be added and the work 
divided, but responsibility should be centered. Avoid 
a large committee. Two people cannot prepare copy 
together. Let one prepare, and another revise if it is 
desired to do so, but have one person plan and prepare 
the original. 

The experience and general reliability of the member- 
ship of the committee will determine, of course, how 
much work may be intrusted to it; but encourage its 
development by leaving to it more and more respon- 



WHO SHALL HAVE CHARGE? 47 

sibility. The ultimate direction and plan of campaign, 
of course, will be in the hands of the pastor, except 
in cases where a real advertising expert is obtainable, 
one who knows the point of view of the church. In 
all cases consultation with the pastor will be necessary, 
and the more he knows about advertising the better 
will be his advice. 

An asset to the church. — Such a plan, quite apart 
from the direct and inherent value of the advertising 
itself, may mean much to the church in giving an oppor- 
tunity for definite lay service. Some energetic and 
ingenious persons may be used here who would other- 
wise feel left out of the church's program. Talents 
will be discovered and unfolded, and many an obscure 
church will find and contribute to the church at large 
a much-needed leader in the great field of church pub- 
Hcity. 

THE ADVERTISING EXPERT 

For many churches, the question of the regular 
services of an advertising expert is closely linked to 
the matter of expense. In special campaigns the ex- 
pense question may be met with comparative ease. 
For all cases the answer must be that ^^systematized 
effort pays for itself. Make the advertising a business 
proposition and you will have businesslike returns."^ 

The limitations of the ordinary advertising man. 
— In advertising with the daily press, the services of 
the advertising man are readily obtained in most cases. 
But this by no means solves the problem. The work 
of the advertising man may easily be somewhat sKp- 
shod if the minister does not know what is good copy. 
When no direct pay is given for the aid furnished it 



6 Mr. Herman A. Groth, treasurer the William H. Rankin Company, Chicago. 



48 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

is only natural that less care should be taken than 
otherwise. In most instances the newspaper staff man 
has insufficient knowledge of the complete program of 
the church to make possible his formulating an intel- 
ligent and comprehensive scheme of publicity. 

Wherever possible ^^ those who understand the work 
should have it in charge even if it means the hiring of 
assistants outside the membership of the church."^ 
For many rural churches this will not be practical. 
In some city churches the same thing will seem to be 
true. The safe rule is that the churches advertising must 
be better than that of competing interests. Time spent in 
educating a friendly newspaper man so that he comes 
to appreciate the interests and policies of the church, 
is time well spent. 

The business manager. — Churches that are fortu- 
nate enough to have a business manager and a business 
office that is not the pastor's study (!) will have no 
difficulty in answering the question, ^Who shall have 
charge of the church's advertising?" It is one of the 
primary functions of this officer to study the channels 
of publicity, to "play up" special features of the church's 
program, to interest a new and ever-enlarging constitu- 
ency, to cultivate friendly relations with the newspaper 
men, and to find out what methods of advertising are 
most effective. 

A word of warning is necessary in this connection. 
The commercial interests of the church, though ab- 
solutely necessary, must not be permitted to overshadow 
those that are distinctly religious. An efficient business 
manager is only the accompanist. He is not the chief 
artist. He should follow the lead of the minister in 
projecting the program of advertising. 

6 Mr. Herman A. Groth. 



IV 

WHAT TO ADVERTISE 

The Preacher 

Sermon theme insufficient 
Emphasis on service 

The Policy 

The mission of the church 
Advertise reKgion 

The Program 
Good copy 

Educating the membership 
Arousing the indifferent 
The thrill of the militant church 

The Product 

Results attract 
Proper modesty 
Learning from others 



IV 

WHAT TO ADVERTISE 

What features of the church should be advertised? 
How can one determine the aspects of the church's 
ministrations that should be included in its program 
of advertising? 

The answer to this question is not easily found, 
for the work of the church is often intangible. It does 
not yield to photographic reproduction. If a firm has 
shoes or scissors to sell, pictorial representations of 
these articles can be made easily. A cut of the church 
building may be used to decorate a church advertise- 
ment, but the physical properties of the church should 
not be made the focal point of interest, except as they 
suggest spiritual realities. Nor is the ordinary mind 
sure to catch all the rich values symbolized. Spiritual 
values tend to become hidden the moment they are 
forced into the restraints of material presentation. 

The heart and core of the church is spiritual. No 
man hath seen it. This sacred institution has inherited 
immeasurable riches of truth and an exalted passion 
to carry them into the lives of all who come within 
range of its ministry. It holds the impulse to go into 
all the world and make disciples. Its problem is this. 
In order to further this project, what phases should 
be advertised? 

THE PREACHER 

'^Most churches in cities, whether from example or 
from other motives, advertise the man and his sermon. 
There are strong defenders of this type of advertising. 

51 



52 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

They may be right, but no one has brought forth the 
facts from a thorough investigation to substantiate 
the claims that this is the best sort of copy. 

^ ^Except in a few instances, church advertisements 
have been written by pastors inspired with a desire 
to get larger audiences. Perhaps this aim is the reason 
for the large proportion of copy which advertises only 
the sermon. Of course the sermon is the weekly big 
job of the pastor. When he writes an ad he naturally 
thinks more of it — 'the newest thing of the week' — 
than of the general activities of the church. But the 
fundamentals of religion as applied to life are new to 
many of the folks he would reach. 

Sermon theme insufficient. — 'To sell what the 
church has to offer to the community, more is needed 
than the mere invitation to hear a preacher talk on 
a certain subject. The theme of the sermon should 
be included in the church advertisement and readers 
invited to attend church. This takes the place of the 
coupon in commercial copy, or a request to send for a 
trial package. If, however, the entire advertisement 
concerns merely the topic of the next sermon, the 
reader gets nothing from the announcement. From a 
similar bank advertisement he would get some idea 
of thrift or the reasons why he should make a will. 

''The purpose of church advertising in newspapers, 
in outdoor posters, and in all general efforts is larg_ely 
to reach those outside of the church. The members 
who come regularly can be told the week previous 
what the sermon subject is to be on a particular Sunday. 
The aim of church advertising ought to be to further 
the effort of the church, which primarily is the con- 
verting of individuals to Christianity. The 'market' 
for this idea is not the present church membership so 



WHAT TO ADVERTISE 53 

much as it is that class which does not now attend 
church. The merits of reKgion and right living should 
be set forth in the church advertisements which seek 
to attract their attention."^ 

Emphasis for service. — The preacher is not to be 
left out of the advertising copy, but the church is not 
primarily concerned with press-agenting any one indi- 
vidual. As a religious expert, the minister should be 
known to the community as one ready to offer counsel 
and spiritual guidance. As an interpreter of the best 
things of life, he should be advertised for his ability 
in that hne. The major emphasis, however, should 
be upon the contribution which the entire institution 
is making to life. 

^^ Among other things the church has for sale: 

Companionship Opportunity for Commu- 

Salvation from Sin nity Work 

Bible Study Comfort in Distress 

Community UpKft Instruction in Christian 

Life Service of the Highest Living 

Type Inspiration to Higher Ideals 

Only a few of these are vigorously sought after by the 
average inhabitant of the U. S. A. The desire must be 
awakened.''^ 

THE POLICY 

The preacher often has been the sole subject in 
church advertising copy, for the simple reason that 
there has been nothing else to advertise. The respon- 
sibility for such a condition rests upon both pastor and 
congregation. Every church should have a policy 
and a program worthy of advertising. The reason why 
so many churches never get anywhere is because they 

1 Mr. H, H. Smith. 2 ibid. 



54 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

are going nowhere. Seneca once said, ^^No wind is 
favorable to the ship which has no port." 

The mission of the church. — ^'J^^us thought it wise 
to set forth his mission clearly: ^To this end was I 
born, and for this cause came I into the world, that 
I should bear witness unto the truth.' And again: 
^The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath 
anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath 
sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliv- 
erance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the 
blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach 
the acceptable year of the Lord. . . . This day is this 
Scripture fulfilled in your ears.' "^ 

What is the policy of our church? 

Here is a man whose childhood memories may be 
of dry, uninteresting sermons and disagreeable 
memoriter work in Sunday school. He does not attend 
church. Here is another who declares that his com- 
munity is overchurched. And he himself attends no 
church. Here is still another who looks on the church 
with a sort of benevolent patronage, considering it a 
necessity for burials and weddings, but in all things 
else almost a nuisance. Here is one who calls the church 
an institution for organized begging — but his contribu- 
tions haven't made it appear so. Here is one indifferent 
to the church because one church he knew was unre- 
sponsive to its opportunity, lacking a modern message. 
And he makes no effort now to know what the church 
is doing. 

Have we no answer to all this? 

The church as a vital institution with a necessary 
message must be brought to the attention of such 
men as these. The idea that churches thrive on cut- 



' Dr. Horace Westwood. 



WHAT TO ADVERTISE 55 

throat competition with each other must be replaced 
by a vision of church cooperation for one supreme 
cause. The opinion that church unity calls for the 
obliteration of denominational Hnes must be revised 
with an appreciation of the fact that an interchurch 
movement presupposes distinct churches as its com- 
ponent parts, each one serving those persons whose 
desires and temperaments it best interprets. The 
mental image of church members who "sing psalms 
all day Sunday and skin their neighbors all week long'' 
must be replaced by one of men who regard all their 
tasks as God-given. The accusation of self-seeking 
must be given the lie by demonstration of unselfish 
service. 

And our answer must be placed efectively before the 
people we wish to convince. 

Advertise religion, — 'The big problem is advertis- 
ing religion. If we can get the message into the hearts 
of men the church as an institution will take care of 
itself. Every manifestation of modernity in thought 
and tolerance makes for desirable copy. To news- 
papers, dogmatism is indeed pup-ism grown up. Thanksr 
giving services are a first-page event in Detroit every 
year because all faiths — Protestant, Catholic, and 
Hebrew — come together in this festival of gratitude. 
United in endeavor, the churches stand a chance for 
space; divided, they fall into the wastebasket.''^ 

Specimens of suitable copy are given on pages :i:i, 
and 34. Other topics might be: 

Baptism The Church and the State 

Family Worship Tithing 

The Benevolences Pew Rentals 



4 Mr. James T. Schermerhorn, publisher the Detroit Times, 



56 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

Religious Education Church Cooperation 

The Church Ritual Sabbath Observance 

The Budget System Music in the Service 

The Church and Education The Church's Holy Days 

The Social Creed of the The Value of Worship 

Church The Bible 

Our Church and Community Development 

But we cannot stop here. The stereotyped church 
falls. There is an insistent demand for definiteness 
in service suited to the changing as well as the perennial 
needs of the people. Advertising calls for self-searching. 
If we have no more to advertise than regular services 
on Sunday, with a revival next January, advertising 
money is going to be wasted. This is no day for new 
wine in old bottles. A new life demands a fitting policy 
by the church. 

Does our policy meet the conditions? Is ours a city 
church with a rural program, or with none at all, or one 
that has no relation to the particular needs of the city? 
Is ours a church in an industrial center? Is our constit- 
uency composed of college students or of retired farmers? 
Is the church downtown or suburban? True, the 
fundamental message is the same for all, but just as 
the religious needs of a community differ so must the 
religious ministrations. 

Have a policy. Advertise it. 

THE PROGRAM 

Policies must grow into programs. If the policy of 
the Christian Church is one of ministry to life, there 
must be a program of action which can be effectively 
presented to the people for whom it exists. The problem 
of presentation has different aspects, depending upon 
whether the advertising is general publicity addressed 



WHAT TO ADVERTISE 57 

to all persons through a medium such as a newspaper, 
whether it is directed to the constituency of the church 
by direct advertising, or whether it is specifically di- 
rected to those outside the membership of the church. 
There are, of course, certain features of a comprehensive 
program which are the same in appeal to all classes. 

Good copy. — The possibihties of general publicity 
through the newspapers with the kind of copy de- 
manded is indicated in the statement of Mr. James T. 
Schermerhorn: ^'One downtown church produced fine 
copy by getting strangers together for an Acquaintance- 
ship Meeting every Sunday evening. The idea and the 
resourceful way in which it was worked out in an at- 
tractive program drew such crowds that the church 
had to beg the newspapers not to urge any more to 
come for a while. Acceptable stuff 

^^There are thrilling stories of the missionaries, who 
come back at intervals from 'over there,' the mission- 
aries whom Henry W. Grady styled the 'stoutest apos- 
tles of the church.' 

''There are sermons in stones, books in the running 
brooks, tongues in trees, and good copy in the collec- 
tion box. How many follow the scriptural tithing 
system? What sacrifices contributors with scant re- 
sources make to support the enterprises of the church. 
Causes to which the collected offerings are applied, 
and the distant fields to which they go upon their 
errands of mercy, education, and relief. Here are 
possibilities for the feature writer dealing with that 
part of church worship which prompted the poKce- 
man to show his star when the plate was passed to him. 
The public might be surprised to learn that there are 
churches that give as much or more to benevolence 
than to the maintenance of their own worship. 



S8 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

"Just why the photographer is excommunicated 
passes understanding. He is a prehminary factor in 
everything else, sacred, social or profane. There are 
resplendent feast days and ceremonials in the sanctuary, 
Christmas, Easter, Children's Days which should be 
saved to the larger congregation through the news- 
paper art. Pictures of interior church scenes on the 
great occasions are bound to be acceptable." 

Educating the membership. — Frequently there is a 
real need to "educate the congregation concerning the 
program of the church. Representatives of Sunday- 
school classes, basket-ball teams, young people's organ- 
izations should make announcements of their activities 
from the pulpit and bulletin. Committees with real 
achievements to their credit are invited to make public 
reports, using time during the morning service. This 
has done much to reveal to the people the scope and 
variety of the work. 

^The front page of the Bulletin each week is devoted 
to the Tulpit Editorial' This is a brief message con- 
cerning the achievements of the problems of the local 
church. Each one aims to develop loyalty to the church, 
its labors, and its public services. Because of brevity 
the little editorial is eagerly read. Because it is put 
into the hands of the people the very first thing of the 
service it has a clear field in which to present its appeal. 

^^At regular intervals space is used to present some 
striking facts concerning the church and its work. 
One week I gave a statement showing the number 
of children in Sunday school, the number of families 
reached through our various activities, the amount 
of money expended during the previous six months, 
the number of pastoral calls made, the number of 
societies and committees with some of their achieve- 



WHAT TO ADVERTISE 



59 



ments. Each week record is kept of the attendance 
at all meetings. This appears next week under the 
heading The Church Thermometer.' Whenever some 
member of the church enjoys some special honor or 
distinction the Bulletin carries a mention of the fact. 
This is especially helpful in holding the interest of the 
young people. 

Arousing the indifferent. — ^To reach the indiffer- 
ent, you must advertise where the indifferent people 
are. I have always tried to make the street-car adver- 
tising preach a sermon first. During the great Minne- 
apolis Go-to-Church Campaign, we used four cards 
with copy as follows: 

(I) (3) 



A MAN NEEDS GOD 

In times like these 
Go to Church Sunday 



Why live in God's World 

WITHOUT GOD? 
Go to Church Sunday 



(2) 



(4) 



MAKE MINNEAPOLIS 
A CITY OF GOD 

Go to Church Sundav 



FEBRUARY 29th 

God's Extra Day 

Go to Church Sunday 



Each of these cards preached a brief sermon and ex- 
tended an invitation. The effect was remarkable. 

'Tt is also possible to make a direct appeal to a man's 
conscience. One piece of our advertising carried the 
query: ^How much is your money costing you?' This 
was followed by an appeal to spend some time in the 
cultivation of the higher values. ^Make your Sundays 
show a profit/ is another appeal in the same direction. 
'Is your boy getting as much as your father gave you?' 
is a very effective appeal to fathers. Would you live 



6o HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

in a churchless town? Are you helping the church in 
your town?' are fair questions. It cannot be called 
^catchy' copy, but it starts men to thinking."^ 

The thrill of the militant church.— 'The new pro- 
gram of the church when advertised until understood 
v/ill appeal to red-blooded folks by its call to man's 
implanted spirit of service. Recreational rooms, enter- 
tainment facilities, education and industrial training, 
Americanization programs, religious education — these 
are to be carried on appropriately in country, city, and 
congested neighborhood. 

'Worship must be shown to be as necessary for man's 
spiritual health as sunshine is for physical. God's 
pardon is to increase man's liberty and efficiency and 
not to avert future punishment. Prayer is to bring 
to man all necessary optimism, courage, confidence, and 
persistency. Bible-reading is to stimulate high ideals, 
stiffen lofty purposes, and to bring God so near that 
men, recognizing themselves to be sons of his, become 
incapable of defeat. Neglect of religion must be shown 
to mean depreciation of ability, undermining of con- 
fidence, weakening of judgment, cheapening of per- 
sonality, and the cheating of oneself of the highest 
possible energy. 

''The false notion that a saint is a halo-crowned 
hermit must be supplanted with pictures of Florence 
Nightingale on bloody battlefields; John Wesley preach- 
ing to miners who mobbed him; Wendell Phillips and 
Frances Willard maltreated while fighting for moral 
reforms; Jacob Riis using a consecrated pen, and Theo- 
dore Roosevelt dominated by high ideals, but keeping 
a big stick handy to enforce righteousness."^ 



6 The Rev. Roy L. Smith, D.D., Simpson Methodist Church, Minneapolis. 
6 Dr. Christian F. Reisner. 



WHAT TO ADVERTISE 6i 



THE PRODUCT 

Much church advertising fails because it prates 
of plans, but passes over actual results. It is always 
easy to talk in abstract terms of the glories in a to- 
morrow that may never come, but it takes honest 
effort to make history. Why is it that records of per- 
formance make the best copy for automobile adver- 
tisements? Why do the patent-medicine people advertise 
cures? It is because folks respond to this kind of ad- 
vertising. They want cars that go. They want to be 
cured. The most effective evangelists of the church 
have been those who could speak from their own religious 
experience. The best advertisement of a church is 
the Christian. And the best copy for church 
advertisements is that which sets forth the actual 
work done. 

Results attract. — Advertisers who indulge in copy of 
the promissory-note type might well recall the story 
of the man whom Christ healed of leprosy: ^^And he 
straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; 
and saith unto him. See thou say nothing to any man: 
but go thy way. . . . But he went out, and began to 
publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, inso- 
much that Jesus could no more openly enter into the 
city, but was without in desert places; and they came 
to him from every quarter'' (Mark i. 43-45). Few 
records of advertising can boast of better results. 

In your copy emphasize results. What does religion 
do for a man? What does it do for a community? 
What does it do for society? Has it changed lives? 
Has it *'done it unto the least of these my brethren' 7 
Has it raised social standards? What evidence is there 
that the church is succeeding? 



62 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

Proper modesty. — To be sure, there is a proper sense 
of modesty which will keep us from cheapening the 
sacred work of the church by boasting. We may not 
point to this man of the community and say he is a 
shining example of what Christianity does for a man. 
That is purely a personal matter; but we can use his- 
toric examples, or in an impersonal way refer to other 
special instances. The work of the church on the 
mission field can be set forth concretely. Social service 
may be suggested as a very definite way in which the 
gospel works. The service of the church as a whole 
should be constantly reiterated. And by ^^church" 
is meant not any one denomination, but the church at 
large, for we wrestle not against other churches, but 
against the dark powers of this world. 

Learning from others. — Whenever you see an ad- 
vertisement that tells of things done, ask yourself, 
'What is there in our church work which may be treated 
of similarly?'' Every advertiser, every feature writer 
on a newspaper is constantly on the alert for that 
indefinable something known as ^^human interest." 
The work of the church, when properly done, is nothing 
if it is not running over with human interest. Now 
and then these interests are reflected in or suggested 
by the material included in pubHcity programs. New 
types of experience, new attitudes, new relationships — 
these are the victories of truth. Transformed life is 
the work of the church. It is also the church's most 
direct and powerful appeal. If a steel corporation 
considers it profitable to use space to tell of the spirit 
of goodwill which is bred in its institution, why should 
not a church tell of that exalted fellowship which is 
so characteristically its product? 
None but the most characteristically Christian tone 



WHAT TO ADVERTISE 63 

and treatment should be permitted for church adver- 
tising. The pubHcity of many churches suggests chiefly 
how not to do it. Practical considerations make it 
necessary to count the loss as well as the gain in the 
use of questionable methods. No church should permit 
itself to be drawn into competition upon a vulgar basis. 
Many of the ministrations of religion defy imprison- 
ment in cold type, and we prize them because they are 
too fine to be expressed in a material way; and yet 
we may be sure that the more clearly we let the indi- 
vidual know what the religion of Jesus Christ can do 
for him, the more quickly will His kingdom come; the 
more concretely we inform society of the contribution 
of the church, the more speedily will His will be done 
on earth. 



CHANNELS OF PUBLICITY 

The Pulpit 

Its function 
''Minute Men" 

Direct Advertising 
The letter 
The church bulletin 

Display Advertising 
Outdoor advertising 
Newspaper advertisements 

Publicity in Periodicals 

What constitutes acceptable copy 

An example of good publicity 

The editor and the preacher join hands 

The Moving Picture 
A universal language 
Proper use of the parable 



V 

CHANNELS OF PUBLICITY 

The director of the church's advertising very properly 
asks, *What is the method of pubKcity which will 
bring the largest returns for our investment?'' That 
is a fundamental question for all advertising whether 
it be of a commercial or religious nature. 

No hard-and-fast rule can be laid down. In some 
localities one method of advertising will have a marked 
superiority over all others. In some places a combina- 
tion of methods will prove most satisfactory. Ingenuity 
of adaptation is the quality for which all advertisers 
strive. 

The present consideration of the various media of 
publicity is designed to point out the particular goals 
in the advertising of the church, for which special 
forms of advertising are most suited. In applying 
these suggestions to a local problem certain questions 
should receive primary consideration: What is the 
object we wish to attain? Is it to fill the church? Is 
it to cultivate a certain attitude regarding the church? 
Is it to carry the message to a wider group? Is it to 
be educative in character? And for all advertising, 
it should be remembered that to reach any particular 
group of people requires that we advertise where those 
people are. 

THE PULPIT 

The channel of publicity most accessible to the 
church is the pulpit. It gets the attention of many 
people regularly, and under favorable conditions. 

67 



68 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

Its function. — The use of the pulpit for advertising 
purposes is essentially that of placing the complete 
program of the church before its own constituency 
or calling that program to the attention of the stranger 
who happens to be within the gates. A recognition 
of the necessity for this task should not be lessened 
either by a desire to preserve the service of worship 
from interruption and incongruity or by abuse of the 
plan through making it a carryall. This use of the 
pulpit is essential in any forward movement. It is of 
incalculable value in acquainting the new attendant 
with the work of the church. 

Successful pulpit publicity consists in properly pub- 
lishing that which is worth}^ of emphasis. Make the 
members of the congregation feel that pulpit announce- 
ments are something of special interest. Insist upon 
carefully prepared announcements given according to 
a clearly formed plan. A cluttered batch of ptnnounce- 
ments cheapens the whole service. If some department 
of the church has a new program, if it has a remarkably 
good report, it is well to have attention called to it 
by some one who can do it quickly and effectively. 

^The pulpit may be profitably used to give pub- 
licity to special features of the church's program. The 
people in the pews should be made familiar with the 
facts concerning it. This calls for authoritative knowl- 
edge on the part of the one who makes an announce- 
ment. The speaker, the music, the singers, the place, 
the date, and every outstanding feature of special 
meetings should be constantly kept before the con- 
gregation. Naturally, this method of pubKcity should 
be used in the Sunday school, young people's society, 
and similar organizations."^ 

1 The Rev. S. Walters McGill. 



CHANNELS OF PUBLICITY 69 

"Minute Men." — One of the most recent develop- 
ments of pulpit publicity was the laymen's organization 
known as the Methodist Minute Men, created to pro- 
mote the interests of the Centenary Movement. They 
were directed by Dr. Christian F. Reisner, president 
of the church advertising section of the Associated 
Advertising Clubs of the World, on a plan similar to 
the Government Four-Minute Men who did such 
valuable service during the war. 

"The Methodist organization reached a membership 
of more than sixty-five thousand, whereas the organ- 
ization of the government did not at any time exceed 
seventy-five thousand. In this group no preachers 
and women were admitted. These men made five- 
minute speeches at many of the church services for 
some weeks preceding and during the week of the 
intensive financial drive, presenting in terse, meaty 
speeches the story of the Centenary from the standpoint 
of the business man, or the man in the pew."^ 

In many communities these men still constitute 
a force which can be called into service whenever the 
work of the church in its local or connectional interests 
is sufficient to justify it. 

DIRECT ADVERTISING 

The letter. — As regards constituency, there is no 
limitation on this method of publicity, whether di- 
rected to the communicant or to the noncommunicant. 
"In the letter the church advertiser has the most power- 
ful single medium possible, because the letter, whether 
processed as a form letter by mimeograph, Rotospeed, 
or duplicator, or whether personally written, carries 
with it the personal element of an individually dupli- 

2 John T. Brabner Smith. 



70 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

cated and individually typewritten appeal. This is 
always effective, even though the letter may not be 
filled in with the personal name of the recipient. 

^^The church will, of course, provide itself with a 
complete mailing list of its members and of its prospective 
members. Besides this there should be classified lists 
of the various departments of the church, such as the 
young men's club, the young women's club, the Ladies' 
Aid Society, the junior organizations, etc. The matter 
of lists is of vital importance, as upon the lists depends 
to a great extent the success of an advertising campaign. 

^The letters sent out by a church should always 
be carefully produced and signed in ink with the name 
of the pastor or some official of the church. They need 
not be signed individually by that individual, but his 
name should be filled in, so as to give them the great- 
est possible personal effect. 

^'Every letter should have a definite subject, and that 
subject should be presented in a concise, brief way, 
but thoroughly telling the story. A series of letters 
should be a continued story, every letter being a chapter. 
And letter advertising should constitute a series. It 
is the follow-up that counts in letter advertising just 
as it does in advertising through house organs or in 
newspapers. 

^Tt is of the very greatest importance to have the 
idea of the letter expressed in the first paragraph or at 
the very beginning of the letter. Then if the entire 
letter is not read that one thought which lies behind 
the letter can be put across. 

^When possible, inclosures can be used to fine ad- 
vantage with the letter, as they present additional 
information which the letter cannot be made to carry 
without overloading it. This information can be brought 



CHANNELS OF PUBLICITY 71 

out in illustrations as well as type matter, and can 
be made interesting and attractive and carry valuable 
additional appeals in behalf of the church. '^^ 

Dr. Roy L. Smith, of Simpson Methodist Episcopal 
Church, MinneapoKs, reports having thus distributed 
thousands of copies of leaflets relating to missions, 
tithing, family worship, temperance, and other matters 
of general educational value in the work of the church. 

'^There are many who claim that two-cent postage 
with its undoubted superiority in the personal effect 
secured is a better investment than using one-cent 
postage with patent Neo-style type of envelopes. But 
for the average church letter one-cent postage is effective 
in securing necessary delivery and the fact that the 
letter is from the church should be of sufficient interest 
to insure for it a reception and a reading by the average 
person addressed. 

'^In any considerable amount of advertising the 
cost of two-cent stamps over one-cent stamps would 
become a considerable item in a year's time; and if 
this saving could be put into copy and the literature 
in the shape of strong, well-supervised letters, careful 
mechanical work, and good paper, the results will be 
satisfactory."^ 

Basing his statement on the result of continued 
experiment and observation, Dr. Horace Westwood, 
Pastor of the First Unitarian Church, Toledo, declares 
letter advertising to be the best form of direct personal 
advertising when written intimately and otherwise care- 
fully prepared. The letters become a regular feature of 
the church life to the member and they are partly respon- 
sible for making permanent additions to the congregation. 



3 Mr. Homer Buckley, of the Buckley, Dement and Company, Direct Mail Ad- 
vertising Experts, Chicago, Illinois. 



72 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

The church bulletin. — This method of pubHcity is 
probably the form most commonly used to-day, and 
one may get any number of suggestions by studying 
the various specimens which are easily secured. Few 
bulletins, however, attain their maximum amount of 
usefulness, and three common faults may be pointed 
out. These are a waste of space by constant repetition 
of directories or other form matter, an undue proportion 
of space devoted to the order of worship, and an un- 
necessary restriction in circulation. 

Publication of the church officiary is undoubtedly 
valuable, but once a month is surely sufficient, while 
in most cases a quarterly publication of it is all that 
a carefully considered plan of publicity would author- 
ize. How large a space may be devoted to the order 
of worship should be determined by the amount of 
money available for advertising purposes and by the 
relative value of other items that might be used. The 
average church bulletin circulates only among those 
who attend church. It is an enterprising director who 
sees to it that Saturday's mail takes to the people of 
a community a bulletin of church news, with especial 
emphasis, of course, on the services of the morrow. 
The cost of additional copies for distribution at the 
service is relatively small, for the initial cost of com- 
position is the big item. 

A weekly publication may be admitted to the mails 
at second-class rates, making the cost of postage rel- 
atively insignificant. This fact is of immense value 
to the church which pubUshes a weekly bulletin. It 
should not overlook the opportunity thus afforded. 
Application for second-class privileges can be made 
at your local post office. 

The loss due to poorly used space becomes more 



CHANNELS OF PUBLICITY 



73 



apparent as one studies the uses to which it might 
have been put. Items of parish interest, brief pulpit 
editorials, short poems, inspiring thoughts, preserva- 
tion of facts and figures indicate the wide range of 
suitable material. 



INFORMATION FOR THE PASTOR: 



Recently 
come to 
the city 



Desire to 
Unite with 
the Church 



Send 

Church 

Envelopes 



Have moved 

to address 

below 



Sick 



Name 



Address 



Please check with an X and drop in the collection basket or mail. 

WORTH THE SPACE IT TAKES 

The educational possibilities of the church bulletin 
cannot be measured. Statistics on missions, on church 
progress, and similar matters are not always realized 
when given orally in a sermon, but if these are concisely 
set forth in the bulletin, they will be appreciated and 
perhaps filed for reference. The laws of good display 
hold good for the bulletin and overcrowding is to be 
avoided. Yet, relatively speaking, the church bulletin 
may be more compact in its make-up, for it is the most 
carefully and most completely read piece of pubhcity 
known. The reader is unhurried and somewhere before 
or after the church service he will find time to read 
every line in it which he finds of interest. It is not too 
much to say that the church bulletin is the most 
potential piece of direct but impersonal advertising in 
the advertising world. 



74 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

DISPLAY ADVERTISING 

^'To reach indifferent people^ you will have to advertise 
where the people are^^ This opens to the church ad- 
vertiser the entire realm of moving-picture sHdes, 
street-car advertisements, bulletin boards, banners, 
newspaper advertisements, and posters of all descrip- 
tions. Even a sign painted on the sidewalk will be 
found to be an effective means of attracting attention. 
^The use of display advertising is limited only by one's 
energy and ingenuity.''^ 

Outdoor advertising. — This is the day of outdoor 
advertising. People are flocking to the towns and 
cities where they are continually using street cars or 
automobiles. Those who do remain in the country 
are visiting town more often than formerly due to the 
modern means of transportation, and the development 
of good roads. These facts mean that increasingly, 
outdoor advertising will reach people where they are. 

Our wartime experience demonstrated its tremendous 
power. Wherever one turned, moral issues were being 
sold to the people by posters and painted publicity. 
The Liberty Loan drives, the Armenian, Syrian Reliefs, 
the United War Work Campaign, and the Red Cross 
turned to posters when they needed big help. 

^^Why is it that posters are so effective? It is because 
outdoor advertising makes a universal appeal to two 
very elemental traits in human nature. Colors and 
size predominate. They are both elemental appeals, 
whether a man be a university graduate or illiterate, 
whether white or black, whether born here or in another 
country. Colors please. We all like the rainbow, the 
green grass, the blue sky, the sunset. Think of how 

< The Rev. Roy L. Smith, Minneapolis. 
5 The Rev. S. Walters McGill, Nashville. 




o 



ct3 






CHANNELS OF PUBLICITY 75 

size impresses; the big metropolis, the Rockies, the 
Woolworth building, the ocean, the statue of Liberty. 
Size is a most remarkable thing to the mind/' 

In all of the forward movements in the various 
churches posters were much used. ^The Methodist 
Centenary made use of a series of posters in from two 
to eight colors that were displayed in bulletin boards 
in front of the churches. Those churches that did not 
have the bulletin boards outside the church suitable 
for these posters were sent specially prepared oak 
bulletin boards, which were sold at cost, and thus the 
posters were given an effective showing for a period 
of twenty weeks, one week for each poster.''® 

There is no reason, however, why a church's bulletin 
board activity should cease at any time unless the 
activity of the church itself has ceased. In other fields 
if an institution finds the demands for its output greater 
than it can supply, it immediately advertises that 
fact, and meanwhile sets itself to increase its plant 
to care for an even greater volume of business. And, 
surely, the church which contemplates any outdoor 
advertising will see to it that on the exterior of the 
church is some means of identification so that it will 
be recognized as the church which is behind the pro- 
gram of Christian service advertised. This does not call 
for any gaudy plastering with flaming posters. It does 
not call for anything that would improperly represent 
the goods which the church has for sale. But a bulletin 
board with its weekly message can be a real means 
of furthering the interests of the Kingdom. A revolving 
gold cross, or an electrically hghted emblem represents 
the more elaborate types suitable for church use. How 
much a lighted cross could mean in some communi- 

« John T. Brabner Smith. 



76 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

ties as a symbol of the service which a church is 
rendering! 

The Wayside Pulpit. — The root of the idea of the 
Wayside Pulpit is for churches to adopt bulletin boards 
of a uniform size so that one printer can print sheets 
for all of them. This plan was originated by the Rev. 
Henry Hallam Saunderson. The idea was received 
with enthusiasm, and now there are hundreds of churches 
of ten different denominations which have adopted 
the Wayside Pulpit, of which Mr. Saunderson is the 
manager. The sheets are 32 inches by 44 inches, the 
long way horizontal. The churches change the sheets 
every week. The sheets are mailed about ten at a 
time to cover that number of weeks. 

The sentences printed on the sheets are selected to 
express the great thoughts of religion in a very effective 
way. Some men have had counts made of the people 
who stop to read the sentences, and it is estimated 
that more than two million people every week, in 
American cities, receive the message of the Wayside 
Pulpit. 

The same bulletin board which carries the sentence 
may be adapted to the announcement of the sermon 
subjects the latter part of the week. Many ministers 
have a Wayside Pulpit sheet posted on Sunday night 
and then, on Friday, post the sermon announcements. 
People who become interested in the sentences read 
also the announcements. The average church bulletin 
board is empty most of the time. The result is that 
people form the habit of passing by without ever reading 
it. The Wayside Pulpit is always saying something 
worth while. The result is that millions of people are 
forming the habit of always reading it. To build an 
effective church bulletin board is an achievement; but 



THEmysiDi^iM^ 






s^r< 



^;;^4!&<^^ii^^sSiffl^^^^^^^«is^ ' ' 






I have been driven 
many times to my 
knees by the over- 
whelming conviction 
that I had no where 
else to go. 



\im \\i \M I ]\i I}} 



Courtesy American Unitarian Association, 25 Beacon Street, Boston 



CHANNELS OF PUBLICITY 77 

to build these habits in human beings is a greater 
achievement. 

Part of the complete equipment of the Wayside 
Pulpit is a v/ell-built changeable letter device for the 
local announcements of the church. 

Newspaper advertisements. — Here we have the 
greatest medium for advertising if our object be the 
immediate gathering of a crowd, or the filling of the 
empty pews, according to Dr. Horace Westwood, 
pastor of the First Unitarian Church, Toledo. ^^Use 
large spaces if finances will permit,'' he urges. ^^Yet 
large display with poor copy is not half as effective 
as small display with good copy. A two-inch double 
column is just as effective in making an announcement 
of a sermon as three times the space, providing the 
advertisement is distinctive and not too crowded. 

^^The trouble with most display church advertising 
is that it contents itself with simply making an announce- 
ment of a sermon topic, trusting that the topic will 
draw the crowd. Few there are who can tickle the 
public palate with sermon topics. The more effective 
way is the educational way. The immediate results 
will be less gratifying, perhaps, but the cumulative 
effect wiU be greater. Church advertising to he elective 
should be based upon the conveying of ideas rather than 
making public announcements." 

The efficacy of newspaper advertising for religious 
wares was well demonstrated in connection with the 
Methodist Centenary celebration at Columbus. Upon 
the advice of Mr. WiUiam C. Rankin, advertising 
counselor in New York City, every daily paper in Ohio 
was used with the exception of Sunday editions. Some 
of the Indiana daihes were used in addition to some 
selected papers situated in large manufacturing centers. 



78 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

On July 4 there was a prize-fight held at Toledo. It 
had been heralded throughout the country on every 
sporting sheet. It had been predicted that the Toledo 
afjfair would have an attendance of one hundred thousand 
while the Centenary exhibition would be under-patron- 
ized. The results showed only forty thousand at To- 
ledo and one hundred and twenty-five thousand at 
Columbus. 

One natural outgrowth of purchasing space in the 
advertising columns will be the increased attention 
given to religious events in the news columns. Not 
only is there an element of ''quid pro quo'' in this con- 
dition, but the very fact that a church has started to 
advertise will be an indication to the editor that it 
has a live message worthy of increased attention. 

PUBLICITY IN PERIODICALS AND NEAVSPAPERS 

The age in which we live is propaganda-ridden. 
So flooded are newspapers and periodicals with 
^ ^colored" stories of all sorts that publication in itself 
cannot be considered as a guarantee of pure motives. 
Yet such a condition far from being discreditable of 
the press, is a tribute to its power. As for us an ag- 
gressive attitude must be taken. '^Be ye not over- 
come with evil, but overcome evil with good.'' We 
must always bear in mind the fact that publicity of 
itself is not an end, but a means to an end, and that 
all freedom of speech rests upon the assumption that 
the best test for truth is its ability to endure the search- 
light of pitiless publicity. The only antidote for the 
prostitution of the power of the press is its redemption 
by making it the organ to promulgate the truth. It is 
not representation that we are to fear; it is misrepre- 
sentation. 



CHANNELS OF PUBLICITY 79 

What constitutes acceptable copy. — The problem 
of the average church advertising director is to get 
his copy accepted. This involves three things: the 
attitude of the nevv^spaper, the way in which the copy 
is prepared, and the inherent value of the news. The 
last is by far the most important. No more author- 
itative statement on this subject can be found than 
that made by Mr. Tames Brown, editor of Editor and 
Publisher, at the Church Department of the Associated 
Advertising Clubs of the World. It follows: 

^The great trinity of moral and educational forces 
touching the American home and vitally affecting the 
youth and man-power of the nation is the church, 
the school, and the newspaper, each essential to the 
highest development of the other — all interdependent. 

'^The attitude of the newspaper to the church may 
perhaps be best illustrated by the fact that in a recent 
joint campaign of thirty denominations to raise large 
funds for church and missionary activities, more than 
six thousand newspapers cooperated whole-heartedly and 
freely without any compensation whatever, and eight 
hundred and fifty of these newspapers published edi- 
torials favorable to the movement. 

^Tt may be safely asserted that the newspapers are 
altogether friendly and sympathetic to the churches. 
TJie reason they do not print more so-called church news 
is because the average church message lacks vitality. As 
a rule, it is weak-kneed and pussy-footed. 

^This fact is transparently obvious when viewed 
at the copy desk in competition with the hundreds of 
messages from live, strenuous, intense people whose 
views and activities fairly clamor to be mirrored in 
the small amount of space which the editor has, these 
high-cost days, at his disposal. 



8o HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

^'Don C. Seitz, the business manager of the New 
York World, known wherever the newspaper is printed 
as the discoverer of the agate Kne, has said: 

"There is no answer to this question outside of the 
churches themselves. If they are able to rouse sufficient 
interest by operations to attract editorial attention, the 
return in space I am sure will be quite adequate. 

^^The need of the hour is for a militant Christianity 
and press. O for a John the Baptist or an apostle 
Paul! Too many ministers are like the Roman gov- 
ernors Felix and Festus — Villing to show the Jews a 
pleasure' — and so they go about 'showing a pleasure' 
to every one they meet by agreeing on almost every 
subject instead of declaring to all men all the time 
their divine mission and continually reiterating the 
age-old story for which a hungry world is athirst. 

'Taul was so vigorous and intent on his ministry 
that he was called a 'pestilent fellow/ a 'preacher of 
sedition/ a 'ringleader of the Nazarenes.' O for more 
Pauls in present-day ministry! Mankind is hungering 
for the truth. PauFs cause goes marching on. 

"Editors of American newspapers occupy the front 
trenches in the fight for public good. They have sensed 
the lack of sincerity and vitality in the average church- 
man and have classed their leaders and their messages 
as largely impotent. 

"A friend of mine, the sales manager of a big news- 
paper supply house, told me at luncheon the other 
day that in his career as salesman and manager during 
the past twenty years he probably had become in- 
timately acquainted with upwards of five hundred 
preachers, and that most of them were politicians. 



CHANNELS OF PUBL[CITY 8i 

Not more than twenty-five, he thought, were in deadly- 
earnest, absolutely sincere.^ 

"If further evidence of the ineffectiveness of the 
average church is desired, why not consider the fact 
that the enrolled membership of evangelical churches 
in America amounts to 25,000,000, the Catholics an- 
other 15,000,000 — a total of 40,000,000, affiliated with 
churches out of a total population of over 105,000,000? 

"In New York city, with a population of 7,000,000, 
the church membership is 1,200,000, including the 
Catholics, with a Protestant membership of less than 
400,000. 

"The reason the newspapers do not print more so- 
called church news is not the fault of the newspapers, 
I say, but, rather, the fault of the churches. 

" What would God do about it?^ would make a lively 
theme for a series of sermons that would get on the 
first pages of American newspapers if they proclaimed 
vigorously the truth that Christ died for you and me 
and that his philosophy contains the solvent for all 
the evils and ills that beset the flesh. 

"Moreover, that sort of vital, militant Christianity 
with members of churches boldly proclaiming their 
faith and fearlessly declaring for righteousness would 
result in the appointment of a competent staff man or 
woman on a good salary to specialize upon religion; 
such a one would know churches in general and local 
churches in particular. 

"Newspapers will seek church news and feature it 
when it is made vital, containing the divine spark of 
truth for which the world seeks. Until then I am 
inclined to think that most church advertising is a 

7 It is the author's opinion that either this friend of Mr. Brown's was unfortunate 
in his ministerial acquaintances, or else, unconsciously, he judged them by inap- 
plicable standards of earnestness and sincerity. 



82 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

sheer waste of money because the church is ^not making 
good' its advertising." 

An example of good publicity. — The possibilities of 
pubHcity through periodicals is indicated in the recep- 
tion accorded the article ^'Civilization Imperiled/' 
published in the Saturday Evening Post just as the 
intensive financial campaign of the Methodist Cen- 
tenary was beginning. 'The attention of the Centenary 
PubHcity Department was called to this article in 
letters from all parts of the country; college professors 
discussed it with their classes; pastors read it to their 
congregations at their evening services. It provoked 
editorials in papers. Even one of the area secretaries, 
ignorant of its origin, wrote in to say that such an 
article was available, and that he had purchased five 
hundred copies for special distribution. 

"As a matter of fact, this article was written by 
arrangement of the Centenary Publicity Department. 
It was known that Mr. Noyes was lecturing on the 
moral condition of the world. A member of the staff 
went to Mr. Noyes with a copy of the Centenary Survey 
and several campaign pamphlets. Mr. Noyes became 
so interested that he was glad to write the article and 
charged a much smaller price for it than he is accus- 
tomed to receive for his work. The word 'Methodist' 
was used only twice in the article and the Centenary 
Commission was mentioned but once. 

"The article when prepared was sold to the Saturday 
Evening Post for the amount paid to Mr. Noyes, with 
a perfect understanding as to its source and purpose. 
The editor really wanted the article.''^ 

The editor and the preacher join hands. — 
In the instance just cited the three conditions of suc- 

8 Mr. John T. Brabner Smith. 



CHANNELS OF PUBLICITY 83 

cessful publicity had been met. The author knew 
how to write. The editor was glad to use such an 
article. But underlying the whole matter was the 
fact that there was something to talk about. That makes 
publicity. Papers should not be expected to carry 
free advertising for a church any more than for any 
other institution. And as for the ^^press grafter, that 
one who has no conception of the value of white paper, 
who insists on riproaring publicity, face and all, his 
name is anathema among journaHsts.'^^ But the church 
that makes its work indispensable to the welfare of a 
community may be sure that it has taken the basic 
step to insure that its copy will be welcomed by the 
press. 

Every pastor should cultivate a feeUng of fraternal- 
ism with the local editor. Jointly, they wield an in- 
fluence over the combined adult and child population 
of a community as no other people do. This mutuality 
of interest should be recognized and encouraged. Just 
as the pastor seeks publicity in the press for the work 
his church is doing, so should he accord the editor 
proper appreciation for his own efforts and for his 
cooperation with the church. When the pulpit and 
the press join hands to effect a community transforma- 
tion, no power on earth can stop them. 

THE MOVING PICTURE 

^innovations are resisted until their worth is proved. 
This is as it should be. Putting the Bible into print 
when printing was new was resisted. But it justified 
itself. So with printed hymnals and psalters. From 
the printed word page to the picture was but a step. 
We can all remember when the stereopticon was de- 

» S. Walters McGill. 



84 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

nounced. By slow degrees it won its way because it 
was found to work powerfully for education and in- 
spiration. 

^^But it is only a step from the still picture to the 
motion picture. Instead of one picture before the 
eye for sixty seconds, the motion picture puts a thou- 
sand pictures there every minute and the result is hfe 
on the screen. The motion picture is to the still picture 
what the great three-manual pipe organ is to the wheezy 
reed organ. // visualizes truth in terms of life and motion. 

*^Many people still believe that pictures have no 
place in the church. They think they should be left 
alone. The trouble is that they won't be left alone. 
Almost twenty milHon people in America go where 
pictures are shown every day. 

A universal language. — ''Motion pictures speak in the 
universal language. Rich and poor, learned and un- 
lettered, understand the picture language. Wyclif 
clearly saw that the thing which retarded the spread 
of evangelical Christianity in his day was that the 
Bible was printed only in the Latin Vulgate and at the 
disposal of priests. He translated it into the vernacular 
and put it into the hands of people. Wyclif became 
the 'morning star of the Reformation.' To-day life is 
strenuous, and claims upon time so multitudinous that 
fewer people read the Bible with an attempt at under- 
standing it. But where is the man, woman, or child 
who does not understand the motion picture? 

'When the proper subjects are shown with high-gra,de 
physical projection, the same attraction which draws 
millions every day, the motion picture will bring the 
multitudes to the church. That this is the result is 
attested by every church that uses the picture method. 

"And the picture method can give something worth 



CHANNELS OF PUBLICITY 85 

while when the people come. It aids in the three-fold 
ministry to body, mind, and spirit. It is the great 
medium for instruction. The whole world is brought 
vividly before the eyes. When the picture The Stream 
of Life' was shown daily by the Centenary Conserva- 
tion Committee at the Casino Theatre, New York, 
during Easter week, at the lunch hour, the men who 
gathered off the streets — Jews, Catholics, Protestants, 
and the unchurched — all tarried for a brief address, 
and over ninety per cent of them held up their hands 
for prayer. Remarkable incidents of changed lives 
can be cited. 

'^No one would say that the picture should supplant 
the preacher, but it can tremendouslv supplement and 
vitalize the preacher's message. 

Proper use of the parable. — ''Here is a mighty 
possibility for Kingdom service on which we may well 
pray God's blessing and guidance. One of the most 
prominent Episcopalian clergymen in America has 
declared that if Christ were here to-day he would 
utilize the motion picture. We do not know what he 
would do, but we do know that he taught and preached 
in parables (pictures) 'and without a parable spake he 
not unto them.' "^^ 

Let the church which contemplates use of the mo- 
tion picture be very certain that its presentation of the 
message is worthy of it. The youngest child can tell 
the difference between a good ''movie" and a poor one. 
Care in selection of films, together with standard equip- 
ment, are two specifications which are absolute. 

The day of the film suitable for church presentation 
is just dawning. Companies are being formed to pro- 
vide pictures which will adequately and sympathetically 

10 The Rev. Chester C. Marshall, Centenary Conservation Committee, New York. 



86 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

present the message of the gospel. The general church 
boards are forming committees of censorship who will 
issue lists of approved films. No church should under- 
take to run a film which has not been properly investi- 
gated. But if all the art of the great cinema masters, 
if all the skill of the latest inventions in the realm of 
motion pictures be brought to sympathetic presenta- 
tion of the age-old, age-new message, what triumphs 
may not the church of Christ witness! 



VI 

MAKING TYPE TALK 

Attractiveness 

Some sample displays 

Type as an exuression of character 

Illustrations 

Legibility 

Some sample paragraphs 

Emphasis 

Bold face or italics 
Position and color 

Clearness 

Ideas rather than words 
Some examples 

Size oe Type 

Tables of different fonts 
Tables of measurements 



VI 
MAKING TYPE TALK 

The one who has made no study of the subject has 
little conception of the tremendous power wrapped up 
in proper selection and arrangement of type. Good 
display can make weak copy strong, and poor display 
can kill good copy. Although complete understanding 
of the subject would require years of study and prac- 
tice and is dependent upon a certain natural artistic 
sense, the most elemental consideration of type selection 
and arrangement will pay the advertiser very large 
returns. 

The average man at the case in the composing room 
has neither the time nor the knowledge that will enable 
him to set copy most effectively. Mr. T. G. McGrew, 
superintendent of the United Typothetae of America 
School of Printing, Indianapolis, who is responsible for 
the illustrations used in this chapter, told the Church 
Advertising Departmental Conference of an experience 
he had when working in the composing room of a small 
paper. A church advertisement had come in. It was 
to be run without charge, and in return the publisher 
was to be credited with a contribution to the funds of 
the church — an abominable practice, and one which 
cripples the church in more ways than one. As the 
manager handed the copy to Mr. McGrew, he said: 
^^Here's a church ad. Slam it up and don't spend too 
much time on it.'' 

This attitude argues for two things in properly con- 
ducted church advertising. All advertising should be 

89 



t t 

T t 

♦|* The Story of the Man Who Ran Away ♦♦♦ 

X to Keep from Being Made King. But X 

t God Made ♦!♦ 

T t 

T t 



I SAUL KING I 



T t 

t t 

t t 

♦% ^ 

A Then "In the fierce light which beats upon a throne ^^ 

♦♦♦ And blackens every blot." A 

X Saul Failed! % 

J^^ Among the many traits of Saul's character, humility ^ 

♦|» and bravery stand out against jealousy and insin- ^ 

Y cerity. In the Series of Bible Stories at the ♦** 

t T 

X t 

I Presbyterian Church | 

X SUNDAY EVENING at 7:00 X 

T T 



f T 



Reproduction of original as appeared in Newspaper. 

90 



'B' 



The Story of the Man Who Ran Away.to Keep fixmi 
Being Made King, But — 

God Made Saul King 

Then, "In the fierce light which beats upon 
a throne and bkckens. every blot** 

Saul Failed 



Among the many traits of SauPs character 
humility and bravery stand out against jeal- 
ousy and insincerity. 



In the Series of Bible Stones at die 

Presbyterian Church 

Suncky Evening at 7:00 



Practice work of Eehabilitation Student. 

91 



92 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

paid for as a business proposition so that good service 
may be demanded; and, secondly, there should be a 
knowledge of what constitutes good display on the part 
of the director so that the best may be obtained. The 
only way to have effective set-ups is to know what 
constitutes them, and then to specify v/hat is wanted 
when the copy is turned in to the printer. The average 
printer cannot always be depended upon to use the 
most artistic and effective set-up. 

Composition is to advertising what advertising is 
to the subject of which it treats. It is good or bad as 
it succeeds or fails in putting across the message de- 
sired. Type is merely a tool for expression. Primarily, 
then, the composition of an advertisement must attract 
attention; it must be readable; it must drive its message 
home; it must leave a definite desire to do some one 
thing. Thus the aims in set-up should be to get attrac- 
tiveness, legibility, emphasis, and clearness. These 
qualities overlap, of course, and each aids the other. 

ATTRACTIVENESS 

An indication of the possibilities in type selection 
and arrangement to gain attention is indicated in the 
two set-ups of the same copy shown on pages 90 and 91. 

Although neither of these may be considered a model, 
yet they indicate what may be done by type selection 
and arrangement. In ^^A" the border and style of 
type for ^Tresbyterian Church'' would be quite as 
suitable for plows as for a church service. The idea 
which first meets one is ^^Saul King'' and if it strikes 
any response in the mind of the reader, it is that some 
star performer by the name of Saul King is to perform 
somewhere. ^^B" suggests the clash of ideas: here is 
a man made king, and he failed. It is true that a more 



MAKING TYPE TALK 93 

striking subject with a better application might have 
been found, but we are limited to this actual copy as 
used in this instance. 

Type as expression of character. — It may be new 
to think of expression of character in type, but a mo- 
ment's reflection will make it seem no more strange 
than the expression of character in architecture and 
designs of all kinds. Note how the very meaning of 
these words is connotated in the type used: 



Massive 

dignity 

luxurp 

PRICES SLASHED! 

Mythology 

Sincerity 

The advertiser can get a specimen type book from 
his printer and study what style will most effectively 
attract attention and reflect the character of the mes- 
sage he has in mind. 

Illustrations. — Given two advertisements competing 
for attention, one of which is illustrated and the other 
not, with other things equal, the illustrated one will 
receive the greater amount of attention. The reason 



94 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

is simply that we are naturally drawn to anything that 
depicts life, and consequently the more there is in the 
picture to suggest life the greater will be its drawing 
power. As a general rule, one large picture is worth 
half a dozen small ones. 

Illustrations are reproduced for printing in what are 
known as half-tones and Hne etchings. The half-tone 
may be made of either copper or zinc, the latter being 
cheaper but not suited for high-grade work. Half- 
tones are used to reproduce photographs or drawings 
of which pictures are made. Care should be taken 
to see that the '^screen'' — that is, the number of Hnes 
to the inch in the half-tone or cut — is suited to the 
finish of the paper that will be used. Your printer is 
the safe guide here. Line etchings are reproductions 
in zinc of pen drawings or prints which call for a repro- 
duction of pure black or other single colors on white. 
All cartooning and sketching can be handled with 
etchings if the lines be drawn in heavy color. India 
ink is best. 

LEGIBILITY 

The advertiser cannot afford to say, ^^Here it is. 
You can read it or not, as you choose.'' It is the business 
of the advertiser so to put up his copy that it will com- 
pel reading. The entire militant spirit of the church 
which would carry its message to the one who needs 
it rather than putting it up on a shelf to be called for 
when ordered, must be put behind the attempt to get 
advertising that forces the one who sees it to read it. 
The type must be arranged and selected with a view 
to its greatest legibility. The following paragraphs 
supplied by Mr. McGrew suggest the basic principles 
in selection of tj^e for the purposes of legibility. 



MAKING TYPE TALK 95 

When we use many 
Mttxtnt tatt& anb siijesi of tppe 

together 

the effect is confusing 

and difficult 

to read 

1 

tKppe of tftig femb i^ bifficult to reab. St ii 
muci} nith for cfjurcfj ants ecclesiiasitical printing, 
botf) asi a bobp anb bigplap tppe, but gfjoulb not 
be usieb for long paragraptig or gifaen special pref« 
erenct. 3t coulb sell fiigl) grabe jetoelrp, but tfie 
ctiurci) tjas a universal, not a class, appeal. 



Caslon type — a beautiful roman letter of legi- 
bility and utility. Note the ease with which 
this paragraph is read and its pleasing appear- 
ance to the eye. 

3 

Italic is not good for large amounts of straight 
composition. Its use as a body type tires the eye 
in a few paragraphs and renders comprehension 
difficult. 

4 

The top half of a line of type is read. There- 
fore this lower case composition is easier to read 
than lines set in capitals. Capitals lend dignity, 
but small letters legibility. To test this, lay a 
paper over the upper half of a line and read. 
Then try it over the lower half. 



96 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

5 

THE TOP HALF OF A LINE IS READ. 
THEREFORE THIS COMPOSITION SET 
IN CAPITALS IS NOT AS LEGIBLE AS 
IF IT WERE SET IN LOWER CASE 
TYPE. 

6 

Body type set solid as shown herewith makes 
a compact page, but is harder to read and less 
pleasing than the same type set leaded (spaced 
between the lines) as shown in the following 
section. White space is essential. 

7 
Body type set soUd as shown in section 6 
makes a compact page, but is harder to read 
and less pleasing than the same type set leaded 
(spaced between the lines) as shown. 

8 

Bold face type is useful for emphasis, 
subheads and display, but is not pleasing 
as a body type. It maKes a black pa^e and 
is tiresome. Lighter face type is much 
more legible, agreeable and effective for 
the main part of the text. 

EMPHASIS 

Since type is merely a means to reflect thought, 
the same effort will be made at emphasis as is used 
in the spoken word. Avoid a monotone when emphasis 
is the goal sought. At the same time avoid such a 
confusion that illegibility results. Italics is growing 
into disfavor as a means of emphasis because of the 



MAKING TYPE TALK 97 

strain it causes in reading when used for any consider- 
able amount of copy. Boldface is becoming more 
common. Just as in speaking, continual emphasis 
is no emphasis, so in printing, a continual use of 
boldface would destroy emphasis. Note how the 
one word in boldface in this sentence stands out, 
whereas in the foregoing sentence nothing pre- 
dominated. 

Emphasis may also be secured by position, by use 
of color, and by illustrations. The size of the type 
is an important factor. The one who can speak with 
well-calculated emphasis should be able to understand 
where to emphasize in printed matter. It is essential 
to have a thorough understanding of the meaning of 
the text-material. 

CLEARNESS 

A determination to do some one thing is dependent 
upon a clear, dominant idea. All devices that can 
aid in clearness are to be used. To gain this, a smooth 
artistic effect may sometimes be violated. The ad- 
vertiser must think in ideas and speak so, rather than 
by ¥/ords or syllables. Have your hnes break according 
to the meaning behind them. Compare the effective- 
ness of the following arrangement of the same headings. 

Scattergood and the Prodigal's 
Mother 

Scattergood 
and the ProdigaFs Mother 

Rule-of-thumb composition obeying the injunction 
to have the longer line at the top would set the heading 
as first given, but observance of the laws of psychology 



98 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 



as to what the mind can grasp would make the second 
arrangement the better. 

The following setting of the same copy will also 
illustrate this principle: 



"Christianity applied to the 
City's Street Car Strike" will be 

considered at the First Baptist 
Church, Sunday evening, at eight 

o'clock. Dr. R. H. Butler will 
talk. A special violin solo will 
be given by Mr. Arthur Hansen. 
All seats are free. Come early. 



"Christianity applied 
to the City's Car Strike" 

will be considered at 

The First Baptist Church. 

Dr. R. H. Butler will talk. 

A violin solo by Mr. Hansen. 

All seats free. Come early. 



Or consider the methods used to set forth certain ideas 
and make them dominant in this display: 



Christianity Applied to 
The City^s Street Car Strike 

at 

THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 

Sunday evening, at eight. 

Dr. R. H. Butler will talk. 

A special violin solo will be given 

by Mr. Arthur Hansen. 



All Seats are Free. 



COME EARLY. 



MAKING TYPE TALK 99 

The biggest word in getting type to talk effectively 
is **Care'' — care in preparation of copy. The writer 
should have in mind his aim, singular not plural, and 
should write toward it. Just as a speaker outlines a 
speech to be given in a certain period of time, so the 
copy should be definitely written for a certain space. 
// the message will not go into the space assigned^ get 
another space, or get another message. 

For the convenience of the church advertiser the 
following tables are appended: 

SIZES OF TYPE 

Six Point 

The message of the church to the farmer 
THE MESSAGE OF THE CHURCH TO THE PARMER 

Eight Point 

The message of the church to the farmer 
THE MESSAGE OF THE CHURCH TO THE FARMER 

Ten Point 

The message of the church to the farmer 

THE MESSAGE OF THE CHURCH TO THE 

Twelve Point 
The message of the chureh to the farmer 
THE MESSAGE OF THE CHURCH TO 

Fourteen Point 

The message of the church to the 
THE MESSAGE OF THE 

Eighteen Point 

The message of the church to 
THE MESSAGE OF THE 



100 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 
Twenty-four Point 

The message of the 
THE MESSAGE OF 

Thirty Point 

The message of the 
THE MESSAGE 



The next table gives the 


average number of words 


per Hne for 


representative : 


lines in the various 


sizes 


of type. In 


figuring the space in terms of inches, 


one 


can use six 


ems, or picas, as being the equivalent of 


one inch. Most newspaper 


columns are thirteen and 


one half ems 


. wide; two columns are twenty-seven 


and 


one half, the additional half em being the measure 


of the space 


occupied by the 


ordinary column rule 






Number of words to a Line 




Measure 


6 pt. 


8 pt. 10 pt. 12 


ipt. 


13K 


8 


7 6 


5 


14 


9 


8 6 


6 


18 


12 


10 8 


7 


27 


18 


IS 13 


II 


42 


28 


25 20 


17 




Lines to the Inch 




6 pt. solid 


12 


10 pt. solid 


7 


leaded 


9 


leaded 


6 


8 pt. solid 


9 


12 pt. solid 


6 


leaded 


7 


leaded 


5 



VII 

ADAPTATION TO LOCAL CONDITIONS 

The Discovery of Your Constituency 
Half-hearted membership 
Taking the church to its members 

The Identifying of Competition 
Its location 
Attacking its origin 
Starting church attendance 
Building the habit 
The final blow to competition 

The Challenge of the Community 
Civic pride 

Special reUgious needs 
A community survey 



VII 
ADAPTATION TO LOCAL CONDITIONS 

Our problem as church advertisers is to transmit 
to all the people, as far as their capacities make it 
possible, the full message of the Christian religion. 
Each local branch of the church must be responsible 
for the accomplishment of the task in its particular 
community. This task calls for intensive study. 

It would be superficial to say merely that the church 
has a message for everyone, since religion is a universal 
demand of the human race. If the answer were bound 
up in any such general term as ^ ^religion," then the 
appeal in its behalf should be met by a corresponding 
response; that is, a universal one. But the demand is, 
rather, for definite and distinct elements. There are 
particular messages to meet particular needs. It is 
true that certain general wants are satisfied without 
particular emphasis upon special phases of religion, 
and to that extent advertising of general principles 
is helpful. But the value of church advertising will 
increase in more than geometrical proportion if it is 
directed by one who has a knowledge of the specific 
needs of a community and also a conviction that an 
adequate answer is being offered those needs. 

Whether advertising be employed to awaken a sense 
of need, to stimulate the consciousness of an existing 
need, or to argue the efficacy of certain divinely attested 
facts to meet a need, its intelligent use is dependent 
upon a survey of needs and the agencies which are operating 

103 



I04 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

to meet them. No other kind of advertising is profitable. 
Accuracy of aim is necessary. 

THE DISCOVERY OF YOUR CONSTITUENCY 

One characteristic which distinguishes such institu- 
tions as the school and the church from all others is 
that the best measure of their success lies in the degree 
to which they lose themselves in their tasks. The 
aim of the church must not become the perpetuation 
of its own existence. Such an aim is suicidal. Existence 
is justified and permanency insured only by what an 
institution does for society. 

The church must take particular care to render 
specific service. Its service includes succor to the ones 
within the church as well as to those without. 

Half-hearted membership. — 'It is often as hard to 
get the membership of the church enthused about the 
work we are doing as it is to interest people outside 
the church. To those who are really interested, a mere 
announcement is usually all that is necessary. But 
to those who are half-hearted in their interest and 
irregular in their attendance, more vigorous methods 
are necessary. The reason for half-interest must 
be found and measures devised to meet the situa- 
tion."^ 

Suggestions have been made in other chapters which 
have a bearing at this point. Adaptation to local 
conditions is that difficult study known as the analysis 
of the obvious. The answers to such questions as the 
following should aid the church advertiser in his at- 
tempt to acquaint the members of the church with 
the work of the church and to gain their complete 
support. 

1 The Rev. Roy L. Smith. 



LOCAL CONDITIONS 105 

Taking the church to its members: 

Is our church membership typical of the entire com- 
munity? Or does it represent a special type? A 
distinct class? 

Does this mean that our church is making a limited, 
a class appeal? 

Is it the function of our church to make a restricted 
appeal ? 

Is our church composed primarily of old folks? Of 
young folks? 

What measures are needed to attract all ages? 

Can the youth of the church find a satisfactory answer 
to their social needs in the activities of the church? 

Is there sufficient opportunity for religious expression 
for all ages? For all groups? 

Is the church contributing its rightful share to the com- 
plete life of its members — physically, mentally, 
spiritually? 

Is our plant giving the maximum return on the money 
invested? 

Is church attendance spasmodic? Regular? 

What is the cause for the regularity or the irregularity 
as the case may be? 

Is there some agency of the church which is not being 
fully utilized by its members? 

What activity or what service always attracts a full 
house? 

Is the entire program of the church being unanimously 
supported? 

If there is dissension, have we some great program, 
in the emphasis upon which all factions may be- 
come united? 

Is a growing religious life evident on the part of the 
members ? 

Is there a family or group consciousness among the 
members? 



io6 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

Do they feel that they are consciously and systemat- 
ically working to realize a great ideal? A great 
program? 

Just what is the weakest point in the churches rela- 
tion to its membership? The strongest point? 

THE IDENTIFYING OF COMPETITION 

If a church is meeting its obligation to its own mem- 
bership, if the membership is entering whole-heartedly 
into the work of the church, it should be comparatively 
easy to advertise to the outsider. The question, how- 
ever, should be attacked in a positive manner. 

Its location. — "It is a great day in the history of any 
church when it has located its competition. A prom- 
inent member of one of my churches once said, The 

Church is your keenest competition in this town.' 

Three weeks in the town revealed his mistake. Our 
keenest competition there was the Sunday morning 
post office and the corner barber shop. Those were 
the two institutions that were getting more men on 
Sunday morning than any other place in town. My 
task as a pastor was to find some way to beat that 
competition.''^ 

When competition has been located, the church 
advertiser should determine its cause, and then combat 
it by showing the falsity of its position, or by showing 
the superior merits of what the church has to offer. 

Attacking its origin. — "A variety of groups are 
prejudiced against church attendance. One group has 
no idea of what the church is actually doing in the 
community and continues on a prejudice formed, per- 
haps, years ago. Moreover, a prejudice against one 
church is apt to communicate itself to all churches. 

2 The Rev. Roy L. Smith. 



LOCAL CONDITIONS 107 

The man who has a grievance against ^the church' 
makes no distinction between individual churches. 
Labor sometimes says that the church is run by rich 
men. I have advertised that the average contribution 
to my church is less, per year, than the annual dues 
of certain labor unions, fraternal orders, or business 
clubs. Others have said that the church was ^im- 
practical,' giving its attention solely to the interests 
of the ^other world.' I have advertised the week-day 
activities, the social pri\dleges, the charitable interests, 
the community program of the church. 

Starting church attendance. — ''Many a prejudiced 
or indifferent man could be persuaded to form the 
habit of church attendance if he could be brought into 
the church once. I have followed the plan of inviting 
groups to attend in a body. I have invited the street- 
car men, the railroad men, the telephone operators, 
the firemen, the Advertising Association, and other 
business and labor groups, to attend the Sunday evening 
service in a group, bringing their band or other musical 
organization with them. Their loyalty to their crowd 
impels them to come. My workers have assured me 
that we have never held any such service that we have 
not added new members and communicants. 

*'An appeal to curiosity will sometimes be best. 
An advertisement of a 'Bag-pipe Band/ playing Scotch 
airs, supplemented with a sermon suggested by Burns's 
birthday, attracted an enormous crowd and netted 
some conversions. People like to go where there are 
crowds. The crowds which come are a reason for others 
coming. Illustrations of crowded churches or masses 
of people are very valuable. 

"Frequently a man may be shaken from indifference 
by a startling announcement. But the danger of 



io8 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

offensiveness due to cheapness or near-deceit makes 
this a measure to be used with great caution. 

'The most deep-rooted prejudice will eventually 
surrender to the onslaught of facts. Men refuse to 
believe anything that does not first commend itself 
to their judgment. Many think that church member- 
ship is a surrender of that right. I try to tell men what 
they can believe, rather than what they must believe. 
In the advertising, I urge men to think for themselves. 

''A reference to a man's mother, if done delicately, 
will usually awaken a train of happy memories and 
religious ideals. 'Mother's Day' and similar occasions 
have tender associations. A reference to childhood 
training will capture many men. The sweet faces of 
children have an irresistible appeal and can be effec- 
tively employed in church advertising. They suggest 
purity, innocence, honesty, guilelessness — all virtues 
that the church undertakes to cultivate. 

Building the habit. — ''But the task is not done 
when men have been brought to church once. We 
must get them back. Every effort must be made to 
develop the churchgoing habit. Sermon series are 
helpful in this respect. If a man's interest in church- 
going can be sustained through a series of discussions, 
you have bridged over that dangerous period of 'strange- 
ness,' and he has grown accustomed to coming. My 
experience has been in favor of the four or five subject 
series. One paragraph in the Bulletin always announces 
'Services Next Sunday.' 

"We make a special effort to get the names of strangers 
who come into our services. Watchers supplied with 
cards and pencils are assigned supervision over pews 
and at the close of the service the names of such strangers 
are turned in to the office. These names are put into 



LOCAL CONDITIONS 109 

the hands of persons who agree to call during the fol- 
lowing week. If they seem to be good prospects, the 
caller reports the fact and the name is put into the 
classified card index, and they begin to receive the 
mail matter. Church visitors follow them up and every 
effort is made to interest them in the activities of the 
church. 

^'We have a splendid post card showing a Sunday 
evening audience. These cards are distributed from 
time to time with the request that those in the audi- 
ence shall address the card to some friend, together 
with an invitation to attend the service. The cards 
are dropped in the collection plate, returned to the 
office and mailed out by the church secretary during 
the week. The names thus secured constitute a val- 
uable list. 

'^On occasions we have distributed blank cards through 
the audience with the request that each person present 
sign up, giving name and address. These cards, re- 
turned to the office, are sorted out and the names of 
strangers listed. Callers follow them up and excellent 
results follow. A frank explanation of the purpose in 
view will usually result in an almost unanimous re- 
sponse to the request. 

The final blow to competition. — ''Just as important 
as getting the crowd is the matter of taking care of it. 
We undertake to have our ushers ready when the 
crowd gets there. If we have advertised a welcome, 
we try to deliver the goods when called for. Good- 
natured appeals to the regulars will in time develop 
in them the habit of speaking to the strangers and 
welcoming them. We try to avoid trusting to luck, 
however. Certain people are responsible for speaking 
to all strangers in certain sections of the church. This 



no HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

organization is so well placed that every pew in the 
church is ^covered.' These same people quietly get 
the names of visitors. 

*We are aiming at an organization which will get 
its own members, and thus build itself. We seek to 
get the unchurched into the church and then to identify 
them with its work, so that each in time will become 
an enthusiastic ^salesman.' Then can we say, 

'' *Like a mighty army 
Moves the Church of God.* ''^ 

THE CHALLENGE OF THE COMMUNITY 

In every community certain local problems arise. 
These must be treated as opportunities to enlarge the 
contribution of reKgion. The church advertiser should 
study such matters as civic pride as well as the specific 
reUgious needs if he wishes his advertising to be most 
effective. 

Civic pride. — Just how certain community antip- 
athies may be overcome and civic pride awakened is 
told in the story of ^^How Advertising Built a Church," 
being the First Baptist Church of Oak Park, Illinois. 
Dr. C. D. Case, the pastor, says: "We made much of 
the civic challenge. Our lot is the best location for a 
pubhc building in town. One of the village papers 
had some time before declared in an editorial that a 
grave responsibility rested upon the people of the First 
Baptist Church because they were to build, on what 
was perhaps the most conspicuous lot in the town, a 
building which would form a background for our civic 
center, around which were grouped monumental 
buildings. 

3 The Rev. Roy L. Smith. 



LOCAL CONDITIONS iii 

"We told the people in our advertising that they 
would not be ashamed of our contribution to the town. 
We did not say so, but we hoped the citizens of the 
town would respond to our suggestion through civic 
pride and help us. They did not, but we had spurred 
on our own people to greater achievements by such 
advertising. They did not propose to put up a build- 
ing which would belittle the town and the church to 
which they belonged. 

"Then we went back into the history of the church 
and made public a fateful hour when, two years before, 
the people of the church sacredly committed themselves 
to a larger policy, and on the basis of splendid com- 
prehensive plans for expansion, called the new pastor 
to the pulpit. It was a courageous thing to do, this 
revelation of the solemn vows to the whole community. 
But it worked. 'The world knows our pledge^' the people 
said. 'We must make good — we will not fail.' We bound 
the past and present together. We did not forget the 
advertising value in the story of the fifteen men who 
half a century before met in a sitting room to establish 
the church."^ 

Special religious needs. — And from a consideration 
of social standards, of civic pride, advertising designed 
to appeal to the community must show that the church 
is prepared to meet and does meet the religious needs 
of that particular community. A city church with a 
city program; an industrial church with a program that 
adjusts to the working program of its people; a college 
church which makes much of its college folks and dis- 
charges its full obligation; a down- town church which 
has its noon-day meetings, its get-together meeting for 
strangers; a rural church which assumes its rightful 

4 The Rev. Carl D. Case. 



ri2 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

place of community leadership — this is what our ad- 
vertising must show our wares to be. 

The church advertising its program. — ^A striking 
illustration of the value of setting before the com- 
munity the entire program of the church is seen in 
one aspect of the publicity carried on by the Olivet 
Baptist Church, of Chicago. The present membership 
of this church is 8,743. 

In an attractive eight-page booklet the following 
information is set forth: 

This Church Has 

1. No. of Departments and Auxiliaries 42 

2. No. of Church and Department Officers 512 

3. No. of Compensated Full Time Workers 16 

4. No. of other Compensated Part Time Workers. 8 

5. Total No. of Paid Workers 24 

6. An Auto Bus costing. $2,600 

(a) It brings children to and from our Kindergarten and Day 
Nursery. 

(b) It brings old and decrepit members to the Church worship. 

(c) It gives recreation rides to needy convalescent members and 
others. 

7. A Day Nursery. 

8. A Free Kindergarten. 

9. A Free Labor Bureau. 

10. A Helpful Social Service Force. 

11. An Experienced Charit}^ Committee. 

12. A Brotherhood and Sisterhood. 

(a) It dispenses annually for the relief of its own members more 
than $2,500 

13. A Boys' Industrial Organization. 

14. A Girls' Industrial Organization. 

15. A Mothers' Community Meeting. 

16. A Children's Church. 

17. Enrolled in its Sunday School 3»ioo 

18. Five Regular Choirs. 



LOCAL CONDITIONS 113 

19. Two Sunrise Prayer Meetings every Sunday at 

6:30 A. M. 

20. Organized the First Community Flat Owning 

Association known among Colored People. 

21. From 3 to 5 Preaching Services every Sunday, 

11:00 A. M. 

(a) We worship in two (2) large church houses, Twenty-seventh 
and Dearborn Streets and Thirty-first Street and South Park 
Avenue, and great crowds are turned away at 11 A. m. every 
Lord's Day for the want of more room. 

22. Two Pieces of Property at 3144-46 Vernon 

Avenue Costing $8,250 

(a) This Property is the Home of our Day Nursery. 

(b) And the Proposed Home for Working Girls. 

23. A Cooperating and Advisory Board Made up 

of Leading Persons of White and Colored 
Races. 

24. A Daily Vacation Bible School enrolled 316 

25. The Generous Support of The American Baptist 

Home Mission Society, The Womicn's Amer- 
ican Baptist Home Mission Society, The 
State and City Baptist (white). 

26. The Approval of the Chicago Day Nursery 

Association. 

27. Publishes V/eekly a Paper to Promote Its Work. 

Some of Its 19 19 Achievements 

1. Its Church Home was the Headquarters of 71 

meetings of The Chicago Peace and Protec- 
tive Association, an organization, which, more 
than all others, helped to check the Chicago 
race riots and gave substantial relief to needy 
and worthy riot victims. 

2. No. of Needy Persons Aided by the Church. . . 440 

3. No. of Needy Persons aided by the giving of 

information through our Information Bureau 265 

4. No. of Legal and Personal Contests Adjusted. . 38 

5. No. of Persons securing Positions through our 

Free Labor Bureau 268 



114 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

6. No. of Community Meetings held: 

(a) For Mothers 56 

(b) For Women 16 

(c) For Fathers 12 

(d) For Men 8 

(e) For Children 104 

(f ) General Meetings 42 

(g) General Health Meetings 12 

(h) Meetings on How to Get and Hold Positions 106 

7. No. of Community ''Sings'* given 8 

8. No. of Persons Influenced to buy Homes 26 

9 No. of Other Properties purchased by the 

Church and others being influenced by the 
Church 9 

10. Total Cost of said Property .$217,000 

11. No. of Constructive Enterprises Helped to 

Launch and Maintain 48 

12. No. of Visits made by Workers to Sick and 

Needy 16,000 

13. Total Amount Collected (1919) $56,209.72 

14. Disbursements: 

(a) To General Expenses and Special Contributions. . . $37,114.87 

(b) Improvements, Furniture, Loans, etc 17,844.41 

(c) Total Disbursements 54,959-28 

15. No. of Additions to the Church: 

(a) By Baptism 480 

(b) By Christian Experience and Letters 2,243 

16. No. of Ministers Aided in Securing their Edu- 

cation 4 

17. No. of Ministers Supporting in Africa R. M. 

Sissusa, M. D., and wife. Grand Basso (these 
have three children). 

18. No. of Trips Made by Auto Bus 288 

19. No. of Persons Conveyed on All Trips 20,080 

(a) Children 17,600 

(b) Decrepit Convalescent Members, Wounded Soldiers, 

Sick Committees and Funeral Attendants 2,480 

20. Money Spent for Operating Expenses of Bus. .$1,150 

21. Total Received from Parties Enjoying Bus 

Privileges $216 



LOCAL CONDITIONS 115 

What We Need 

1. A competent man to direct our boys, and his salary 
provided for. 

2. Some more aid in maintaining our free Kinder- 
garten and free Day Nursery. 

3. Enough money to equip our Working Girls' Home 
and employ a competent directress. 

4. A visiting nurse with expenses guaranteed. 

5. One man and one woman Social Worker for work in 
large factories and industries. 

6. A Specially prepared woman to help develop the 
girls and young women of the church. 

7. Seventy thousand dollars to pay for the church 
property purchased by the church in order that it might 
successftdly operate its various enterprises. Many of our 
most loyal members have come to Chicago recently and 
sorely need the influence and ministrations of our church, 
while they themselves can contribute but little toward its 
maintenance. The larger number of the members are con- 
iributing to the full limit of their ability, but they need and 
deserve sympathy, cooperation, a}id financial aid. 

8. An auditorium with a seating capacity of six thou- 
sand to accommodate the eager, surging, needy crowds, 
who wait each Sunday to be built up by the ministry, ac- 
tivities, and worship of the church. Hundreds every 
Sunday leave dejected and discouraged, because of the 
press of the crowds and lack of room. 

9. Friends to visit, observe, and get acquainted with 
us and our work. ''Good understanding giveth favor.'' 
A ''problem" is a thing to be done which is not done 
because of a lack of understanding. With better inter- 
racial knowledge and more courage, race relations would 
be better. 

Note: — For further information write Pastor L. K. 
Williams, 3142 South Park Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. 

Bayside, New York, is a town which has an un- 
certain population. To meet the peculiar problem of a 
constant incoming of strangers, one church devised a 



ii6 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

little folder, on the outside of which was a good photo- 
graphic print of the church, and this greeting printed 
in two colors: 

*To the Residents of Bayside — and in particular to 
those who have just come to make this town their home." 

The text of the folder as printed on the two inside 
pages was as follows: 

All churches of Bayside will give you a cordial wel- 
come. There are four churches here — 

All Saints Episcopal 

Montauk Avenue and 2nd Street, 

Rev. C. A. Brown, Rector 

Bayside Methodist 

Palace Boulevard and West Street, 

Rev. P. E. Shoemaker, Pastor 

Church of the Sacred Heart 
Roman Catholic 

VVarburton Avenue and 4th Street, 

Rev. W. J. Dunne, Rector 

Bayside Lutheran Mission 

Park Avenue and 2nd Street 

To one of these you should owe your allegiance and 
give yovu* moral and financial support. Select the one 
that your early training or that your later choice or 
membership dictates — but — go to one of them regularly 
for its good and for your own. 

If you are an Episcopalian, by all means let us see you 
at All Saints. If you have not worshiped at the Epis- 
copal Church before but it is now your choice, a wel- 
come awaits you. 

All seats are free. Sunday services are as follows: 
Holy Communion 8 o'clock, a.m. Morning Prayer and 
Sermon ii o'clock. Evening Prayer 4: 30 o'clock. 

Sunday School at 9: 45 o'clock each Sunday morning. 
Bring the children. We have a large and ably conducted 
school which your little ones will enjoy. 



LOCAL CONDITIONS 117 

If you desire more information, a note addressed to the 
rector will bring immediate reply by mail or in person. 

We hope you will go to church — to some church — to 
All Saints if you so prefer. 

Rev. Charles A. Brown 

Rector 

W^ARDENS 
Elmer G. Story William H. Johns 

VESTRY 

Chas. L. Willard William Teller 

Archibald Nesbett R. I. Whitesell 

Thomas Rumney A. M. McICnight 

Robert 3 Everett, Clerk 

A commimity survey. — If a religious survey. of your 
community has been made by one of the church boards, 
get it and study it to discover just how your adver- 
tising can be made most effective. Of what use is a 
survey unless it is followed by a program? Be sure 
that the survey is constantly reliable by being kept 
up to date. If one hasn't been made, write your general 
board for proper blanks, and then join hands with the 
other religious forces in your community to put it on 
and determine just what is needed in your community 
to make it a part of the kingdom of God. 

This detail work may remove some of the glamour 
which apparently characterizes certain conceptions of 
advertising. The halo may disappear when it is found 
that advertising is not a substitute for, but a creator 
of work. There is no substitute for service. Church 
advertising seeks primarily to extend good works, and 
if in doing that it brings to a church a more complete 
revelation of its obligation in a community, the results 
will take care of the halo. 



VIII 

THE SEASONAL APPROACH 

A Local Program 

The calendar of a frontier church 
Local conditions control 

The Ecclesiastical Year 
The yearly cycle 
Cultivating reUgious associations 

Currents of Community Interest 
Using Thrift Week 
Religious values 



VIII 
THE SEASONAL APPROACH 

The commercial advertiser says, ^^Advertise Baby 
Goods in Baby Week." That admonition has immense 
significance for the church advertiser, for certainly in 
no field of endeavor is there more value to be realized 
from planning the advertising with a view to capturing 
the currents of community interest than in the field 
of church advertising. Much of the average com- 
munity's life is irrevocably linked with the high points 
in the church calendar, and if the church is occupying 
its true place, there will be no event in the community's 
Kfe with which it is not actively and dominantly asso- 
ciated. 

A LOCAL PROGRAM 

Something has already been said regarding the 
church's program as subject-matter for its advertising. 
It was assumed that every church would have a definite 
and carefully considered goal to be achieved in a definite 
period of time. But the facts are, of course, that many 
churches proceed in a haphazard way, neither ready 
to take advantage of opportunities that may arise 
nor striving to create favorable situations. Opportun- 
ism is better than indifference, yet when it is possible 
to have a schedule of work, and then to work that the 
church may deHver per schedule, no church advertiser 
should be content with less. As with all schedules, 
even those of a railroad, specials may be run in and 
time tables altered for sufficient reason, but with a 
schedule there is a prospect of arriving. Far too many 
churches fail to arrive simply because they have no 
destination. 

121 



122 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

The calendar of a frontier church. — The following 
calendar suggests the seasonal approach with a local 
adaptation as worked out by the First Methodist 
Church, of White River, South Dakota, a frontier 
town twenty-eight miles from a railroad, that wasn't 
even recorded in the census of 1915: 

PROGRAM FOR 1920 

Sunday School 

Jan. II, Sun. Graduation Day. 
Feb. IS, Sim. Child Labor Day. 

Ingathering — Enlisting Campaign. 
Mar. 14, Sun. Get Ready Day. 
Mar. 21, Sun. Every-Member-Present Day. 
Mar. 28, Sun. Every-Member-Bring-One Day. 
Apr. 4, Sun. Easter Service. 
Jun. 6, Sun. Children's Day. 
Sep. 17, Fri. Stmday School Social. 
Sep. 26, Sun. Rally Day. 
Nov. 7, Sun. Temperance Day. 
Dec. 19, Sun. Christmas Cantata. 
Dec. 26, Sun. Christmas Program. 
Dec. 27, Mon. Annual Meeting. 

Ladies' Aid Society 

Feb. 14, Sat. Valentine Social. 
Apr. 3, Sat. Easter Bazaar. 
Aug. Frontier Days. 

Nov. 2, Tues. Election Dinner. 
Dec. 18, Sat. Christmas Bazaar. 

Epworth League 

Jan. 29, Thu. Rainbow Supper. 
Feb. 19, Thu. Contest Social. 
Mar. 18, Thu. St. Patrick's Social. 
Apr. I, Thu. Fete de Feux. 



Church 



THE SEASONAL APPROACH 123 

Apr. 18, Sun. Morning Watch Services. 

May 20, Thu. Banquet. 

Jun. 24, Thu. Rural Social. 

Jul. 4, Sun. Patriotic Program. 

Jul. 22, Thu. 

Aug. 19, Thu. 

Sep. 5, Sun. Win-My-Chum Week 

Sep. 12, Sun. Rally Day. 

Sep. 30, Thu. Beef Steak Roast, 

Oct. 28, Thu. Hallowe'en Social. 

Nov. 25, Thu. Thanksgiving Social. 

Dec. 27, Mon. Home Coming Rally. 

Dec. 31, Fri. Watch Night Service. 

Jan. I, Thu. New Year's Calls. 

Jan. IS, Thu. Social for Married Folks. 

Feb. 12, Thu. Evangelist Day for Church. 

Feb. 26, Thu. Father-Son-Big-Brother Ban- 
quet. 

Mar. 3 to 14, Evangelism Campaign. 

Mar. 18, Thu. St. Patrick's Social. 

Mar. 28, Sun. Palm Sunday. 

Apr. 4, Sun. Easter Sunday. 

May 9, Sim. Mother's Day. 

Jun. 6, Sun. Second Anniversary. 

Jun. 13, Sun. New Comers Day. 

Jul. 4, Sun. Patriotic Day. 

Jul. 18, Sim. Automobile Day. 

Aug. 8, Sun. Methodist Jubilee Day. 

Sep. 5, Sim. Labor Day. 

Sep. 19, Sun. Annual Church Rally Day. 

Sep. 21, Tue. Every-Member-Friend Canvass. 

Oct. 3, Sun. Harvest Home Service. 

Nov. 25, Thu. Popular Thanksgiving Enter- 
tainment. 

Dec. 9, Thu. Annual Church Social and 
Business Meeting. 



124 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

This calendar, with other appropriate information 
concerning the work of the church, was printed on a 
folder and mailed to every legitimate prospect in the 
church's territory. Under the direction of the pastor, 
the Rev. Fred Richards, a publicity committee conducts 
a planned advertising campaign to correspond with the 
church's activities. A weekly news Bulletin, entered 
as second-class mail matter, is sent to the complete 
mailing list, which includes people in the country for 
eighty miles away. A first-class moving picture machine 
is used in the church, and recently advertising was 
used to invite subscriptions for financing '^the building 
of a fence and to equip the vacant lot west of the Method- 
ist Church with swings, slides, sand pile, basket ball 
court, and other equipment suitable for a public play- 
ground; also free educational motion pictures for the 
general public." 

Local conditions control. — Obviously a local pro- 
gram must be planned by the ones who are to use it 
if advantage is to be taken of local needs and local 
interests. The program of White River would not fit 
a city church without some modifications, but the idea 
of a timely, community poKcy is clearly evident. An 
aggressive, mihtant church will have an aggressive 
and progressive plan of campaign. The circle of 
warming up and cooling off inversely with the sea- 
sons, a revival in winter and a vacation in summer, 
is routine spelled rut-ine. It is the high privilege 
of the church advertiser to insist that there be a 
planned program for local achievement by which he 
can direct his efforts. Not only is this necessary 
if he is to keep within his budget of expenses, but 
it is necessary for the effectiveness of the advertising 
itself. 



THE SEASONAL APPROACH 125 



THE ECCLESIASTICAL YEAR 

The church, as one of the oldest institutions of society, 
has an immeasurably rich background of hoKdays and 
holy days. Just how greatly the eradication of all 
religious sentiment from Christmas, Easter, New Year's, 
Thanksgiving, and even Memorial Day, would weaken 
the meaning of those days we cannot calculate. Most 
of them would lose much of their significance and some 
of them would be utterly destroyed. It is, therefore, 
to the interest of Christianity that we conserve and 
take advantage of the fine reUgious values so naturally 
associated with them. 

The yearly cycle. — The religious life of the majority 
of people is Hved in a yearly cycle. There are high 
points of interest that occur annually. Just as the 
physical body adjusts itself to the conditions of spring, 
summer, fall, and winter, so the spirit of man passes 
rhythmically from one religious emphasis to another. 
The Easter message of immortality wakens a popular 
response. There is a distinct Easter atmosphere, and 
all the people within and without the church are aware 
of it. Then with the coming of the harvest festival, 
or of Christmas, new thoughts are widely current. 
There are forty days, in every year, when the spirit 
of Lent permeates the religious Hfe of multitudes Vv^ho 
are not nominally Christians. 

To ignore this fact is to disregard one of the most 
important and fundamental principles of advertising. 
Interests already awakened should be capitalized. 
This is particularly true if the popular mind, for the 
time, is concerned with spiritual things. There are 
tides in rehgious thoughts of men which, taken at the 
flood, lead on to further interest and higher regard. 



126 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

Christmas advertising differs from the method of 
publicity most suited to Thanksgiving or Easter. The 
wide-awake advertiser is quick to catch folks in their 
best mood, and to catch them appropriately. 

This calls for planned advertising to relate these 
events in an even greater degree to the church, and 
especially to do this in the minds of those who have 
no other connection with the church. Demonstration 
by advertising that the church is responsible for the 
values attached to these days is an unparalleled avenue 
of approach to the unchurched masses. 

Cultivating religious associations. — In the planned 
program for the community the church, of course, will 
take into account all those events which have religious 
significance. Even though the church should not 
have special services on New Year's Day or similar 
daj^s of lesser ecclesiastical significance, it is always 
possible for the church's advertising to show how 
religion conserves the best associations and impulses 
of such occasions. 

The church advertiser, in outlining his special pro- 
gram, is not confined to the definite program of the 
church's activities. It is his duty and privilege to 
seek constantly the religious interpretation of life. This 
does not mean advertising piety, nor the church itself, 
necessarily, but it means emphasizing those values 
which aid in the building of the world order for which 
Christ yearns. If a bank or a clothing store considers 
it worth while to devote some of its advertising to the 
Christmas and New Year's message, is it not equally 
so for the church? If a jewelry store finds it of value 
to donate advertising space to the Boy Scouts or the 
Red Cross, should a church do less? 

And when we come to those days which are pe- 



THE SEASON.\L APPROACH 127 

cuKarly religious in their associations, the church 
advertiser has a position of untold opportunity. He 
will seek to get other advertisers to carry into their 
copy the spirit of the occasion, while in his own ma- 
terial he will seek to crystalKze the sentiments and 
impulses thus aroused and to give them a chance for 
definite religious expression. 

CURRENTS OF COMT^IUNITY INTEREST 

In his ministry, Christ continually sought to capital- 
ize the currents of interest in those about him. To the 
fishermen brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, whom 
he saw casting their nets, Christ said, ^ToUow me, 
and I will make you fishers of men.'' To the vine- 
dressers he compared himself to the \dne and them to 
the branches; to the woman at the well he told of the 
water of life of which one would drink and thirst not; 
to the shepherds he spoke of the Good Shepherd; to 
the weary, worn peasants he said, ^^My yoke is easy 
and my burden is light"; to the multitude who fol- 
lowed him after the miraculous feeding of the five 
thousand, instead of saying ^T am the Messiah/' he 
turned and said, ^^Ye seek me, not because ye saw the 
miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and 
were filled .... I am the bread of life : he that cometh 
to me shall never hunger." 

In its advertising, the church can well afi'ord to foUovr 
the Master's example. It must seek to capitalize the 
currents of community interest. It is a question of 
playing the game with all the socially constructive 
forces of the community. If the pubHc attention is 
focused upon an important baseball series, why should 
not the question of a wholesome and comprehensive 
recreational program for the entire community be 



128 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

considered? A church founded upon the life of one 
who devoted so much attention to the heahng of the 
sick should have a direct message whenever the social 
consciousness is aroused on such questions as civic 
sanitation, motherhood, a pure water supply, good 
government, a national anti-tuberculosis campaign, the 
week of prayer for the colleges, or the blessings of poHt- 
ical liberty and religious freedom. 

Using Thrift Week. — Previous to its reorganization 
the Interchurch World Movement had prepared a plan 
for an educational program in stewardship in 1921, 
which, in a most natural way, was to cooperate with 
the agencies which promote National Thrift Week. 

^^The outline of the program for this period is as 
follows: 

January 17-23: Cooperation in the observance of Na- 
tional Thrift Week with special interest in ^Share 
in Others' Day.' 
January 24-February 20: Intensive educational period 

in Stewardship. 
February 20: Beginning of enrollment period of Chris- 
tian Stewards. 

^ ^National Thrift Week is based on the following 
ten-point financial creed: 

Work and Earn Own Your Own Home 

Make a Budget Make a Will 

Record Expenditures Invest in Reliable Securities 

Have a Bank Account Pay as You Go 

Carry Life Insurance Share with Others 

Religious values. — ^^Different days were designated 
for emphasizing these several points. The purpose of 
the week is to help the individual to fit his income and 
abilities into the purposes of a well-rounded Christian 



THE SEASONAL APPROACH 129 

life. Every one of the ten points in the Financial 
Creed had character-building value, and therefore 
should be of interest to religious leaders. It is impossible 
for any person interested in the church and other worthy 
causes to express his stewardship by the giving of 
money except as he has been able to live within his 
income sufficiently to have accumulated the money 
to give. 

^^Budget Day is one in which the church should be 
especially interested since the individual who keeps 
a budget and records expenditures is very much more 
apt to know ¥/hat proportion he is giving to religious 
purposes. Ministers have also found that failure 
to keep family finances by the family budget plan has 
been the cause of much unhappiness in home life and 
has brought many financial worries, which make it 
impossible to enjoy a full Christian experience. 

^ ^National Thrift Week is usually observed in a local 
community under the auspices of a local Thrift Week 
Committee, which is organized under the leadership of 
the Y. M. C. A. in cooperation with the Chamber of 
Commerce, Clearing House, Real Estate Board, Life 
Underwriters' Association, Credit Men's Association, 
Rotary Club, Women's Clubs, and other organizations 
interested in the general welfare of the community. 
It is not a campaign to promote the sale of life insur- 
ance, real estate, or anything else; it is purely an idea 
campaign to encourage the individual to put himself 
on a character-building money basis. "^ 

Some wares have a limited selling season. Um- 
brellas are sold especially in rainy weather; artificial 
stimulation must be relied upon to sell summer furs; 
but there should be no such necessity for the church 

1 Mr. E. A. Hungerford, of the Interchurch World Movement. 



I30 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

which relates its program to the dominant needs of 
society. It is the duty of the church advertiser thus to 
identify the church with every legitimate interest of 
society in the minds of all people. It is his opportunity 
to do so by planning the advertising program to coincide 
with and capitalize the currents of social interest. 



IX 

NATIONAL ADVERTISING 
AND THE CHURCH 

The Function of National Advertising 
Its limitations 
Its possibilities 

Adaptability to the Wares of the Church 
The universal market 
Local representatives, non-competing 

Aid to the Local Problem 
Direction 
Counsel 
Cooperation 



IX 

NATIONAL ADVERTISING AND 
THE CHURCH 

The creation of the national magazine, the invention 
and improvement of automatic addressing machines 
and letter writers, the development of circular printing 
and outdoor posters have produced what is known as 
national advertising — a distinct addition to the ever- 
widening group of economies made possible by large- 
scale production. A century ago Ivory Soap as we 
know it, in Maine, in Florida, in Ohio, would have 
been impossible. But to-da)^ if a manufacturer has a 
product which is needed equally in Maine and in Cali- 
fornia, there is no reason why he should limit its sale 
to the place of its origin. He arranges for agents in 
all communities where the product can be sold, and 
then announces a national selling campaign, the most 
important part of which is a nation-wide plan of ad- 
vertising. 

The Christian Church has set itself to a program, 
the accomplishment of which means nothing less than 
a world brought under the sway of the Son of God. 
This universal task has been apportioned to the various 
local churches with a more or less exact statement of 
what each is expected to do. But the responsibility 
of the church as a whole does not end when it has de- 
fined its aim and has distributed the v/ork to the local 
organizations. It is only fair to demand that the 
ecclesiastical body which formulates a policy or sets 
a goal should include in its program a corresponding 

133 



134 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

and adequate plan of advertising. The fixing of the 
goal makes the adoption of the most effective methods 
of attaining it an inescapable obligation. The church 
at large should do for its local representatives no less 
than the manufacturer of shaving soap does for his 
local salesman or retailer. 

If patent-process breakfast cereals made in Battle 
Creek, Michigan, find their way to the desert sands of 
Africa because advertising has told of their value, 
surely the soul-satisfying values of the Christian life 
can be carried to the uttermost parts of the earth by 
the same medium. There is immense significance in 
the statement of Mr. Charles F. Higham, European 
vice-president of the Associated Advertising Clubs of 
the World, and one who has studied advertising on 
both sides of the Atlantic: ^T mean exactly what I 
said when I told the members of the Advertising Club 
in New York that I believe the time is coming when 
you men are going to sell ideas, morality, and health 
to the world.''^ 

'*The average man's feeling toward the church is 
a good deal like his feeling about the express company. 
He does not see the vast, efficient organization which 
handles express so rapidly and at such a comparati^^h/ 
small cost. He knows nothing of the part that the 
express companies have played in the development 
of the country's economic life. All he sees is one local 
expressman, whom he does not like very much, and 
who, perhaps, once smashed his trunk. In the sam_c 
way the average man sees only one little church which 
may be unpainted and filled with people whom he does 
not particularly like, and ministered to by a rather 
mediocre pastor. On this basis he judges the whole 

2 Advertising and Selling, June 5, 1920. 



NATIONAL ADVERTISING 135 

church and condemns it, seeing nothing of what Hes 
behind."^ 

The local church organization, so conscious of its 
embarrassments and limitations, needs the moral sup- 
port, the heartening assurance that comes from the 
knowledge of its being an integral part of a powerful, 
national institution. 

THE FUNCTION OF NATIONAL ADVERTISING 

The nature of national advertising already has been 
suggested. In order to understand this function, an 
exact determination of its limitations and its possi- 
bilities is necessary. 

Its limitations. — The general church organizations 
can do the national advertising, but ^ ^unless the local 
churches will do local advertising, a big, broad cam- 
paign will be a good deal like that of a manufacturer 
who undertakes to advertise his goods nationally, but 
no one knows where to go locally to get the goods. ''^ 

The immediate community interest must be supplied 
by the local institution. Community adaptations of 
the general message must be made by the community 
representative, the local church. 

In a very true sense national advertising is educa- 
tional in nature. As the director of publicity for the 
Interchurch Movement said: '^AU this copy is entirely 
educational and makes no direct appeal for funds. 
The actual funds that are to be raised must be raised 
through church and community committees organized 
very much along the lines followed in the Liberty Loan 
and Red Cross campaigns."^ 

Its possibilities. — ^'In union there is strength" is an 
axiom which indicates the power of a nation-wide 

3 Mr. C. S. Clark. * Merle Sidener, Indianapolis. s Mr. C. S. Clark. 



136 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

advertising campaign. The compelling power of a 
mass movement is brought into play. Expensive over- 
lapping within the same denomination is eliminated. 
The general church, because it reduces overhead ex- 
pense, can command the very best talent for drawings, 
display, selection, and preparation of material. With 
its representation in practically every community it 
stands in a way to reap the greatest possible results 
of its advertising. The national advertiser who has no 
local representative where his advertising goes, must 
consider that he is not harvesting the crop he has sown. 
And, finally, in the conception of the great universal 
message of the church on which all denominations agree, 
the Kingdom at large will profit by all advertising 
done relating to religion, and the charges of certain 
critics that churches are selfish, seeking their own 
institutional advancement, will be effectively re- 
futed. 

The advantages of working toward one goal are so 
obvious that it hardly seems necessary to dwell upon 
them. Team-work, cooperation^ harmony are inherent 
parts of the church's message. National advertising 
focuses the activities of the local units upon some 
common objective. If unity of command was necessary 
to achieve victory for the Allies on the battlefield, 
does it not have value for the forces of Jesus Christ? 
The liquor traffic was abolished because attack upon 
it was centered, consistent, not spasmodic. 

^^National advertising sets a standard. It can com- 
mand copy that is dignified, frankly spiritual, and 
strong in its appeal. Artists like C. B. Falls, H. Fuhr, 
Denman Fink, Jessie Wilcox Smith, and Leon M. 
Bracker, who were enlisted to paint subjects suitable 
for poster production in the Interchurch campaign, can 



NATIONAL ADVERTISING 137 

be employed for subjects which will have the wide 
use that national advertising makes possible.''^ 

A local church whose advertising would be produced 
but once does not have the resources to get the very 
best illustrative work, or the best preparation of copy. 
So much of the message of the church is as applicable 
in Oregon as it is in Texas that the motive of economy is 
a great reason for national advertising. There is no 
waste in religious advertising due to a lack of local 
representation. Few denominations are so limited in 
their extent that they will not reap directly the results 
of national advertising. But in the truest sense of the 
term, no national advertising of Christianity can be 
considered lost to the ELingdom. When we put Him 
above man-made institutions, the illimitable results 
become apparent. 

ADAPTABILITY TO THE WARES OF THE CHURCH 

The fundamental requisite for a product to be adapt- 
able to national advertising is that there shall exist a 
wide territory in which a demand for it exists or in 
which such a demand may be created. From the stand- 
point of efficiency in advertising it is desirable that the 
product be one which can be obtained at all local dis- 
pensaries. On both of these points the gospel is far 
and away more universal and adaptable to local needs 
than any other commodity that exists or that can be 
imagined. 

The universal market. — Advertising the message of 
the church is like advertising a general commodity 
such as bread. Everyone needs it. It is 'Hhe bread 
of life." In the commercial field the advertiser of 
Panama hats recognizes that he has little business in 

6 Mr. C. S. Clark. 



1,0 IIANI>IUH)k OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

Alaska. The nuikcr of fur coats does not advertise 
his wares in the tropics. But the Church of Christ 
can send its message to all lands. Indeed, the essence 
of its connnission is that it shall penetrate all regions. 
Where the need of the Christian religion is not recog- 
m'zed there it is to be awakened. Where it exists, it 
is to be satisiled. Ours is a universal, a world-wide 
market. 

^^One of the greatest opportunities for church adver- 
tising to-day is the tremendous movement for waking 
])eople up to the church, the Go- to-Church movement 
that is being prosecuted regardless of denomination. 
This is l)eing ])romoted on a national scale, and the 
local church that does not take advantage of this 
by a ])arallel campaign in its community is over- 
looking an opportunity that may not come again for 
years. ''^ 

Local representatives, noncompeting. — When a 
manufacturer of soap wishes to sell his product, he 
cannot advertise merely soap. He must advertise it 
from a ]^artisan point of view. He must specify the 
particular brand of soa]) in his advertising, either 
directly or by suggestion. Fundamentally, national 
advertising for the church means advertising Chris- 
tianity, and not Presbyterianism, Methodism, Congre- 
gationalism, Unitarianism, or any other ism. Church 
advertising does not carry such cautions as ^Xook 

for the little red label," or '^Insist on ,'' or 

^^None genuine without signature of ." or 

^'Refuse all substitutes." 

When the druggists began to apj)ly the lessons of 
national advertising and large-scale production with 
lessening of overhead expense, there grew up several 

^ Mr. Homer J. Buckley. 



NATIONAL ADVERTISING 139 

syndicates, so that the several drug stores in a com- 
munity might each have a nationally advertised product. 
^'Rexair' stands for one brand. ''A. D. S." calls for 
similar goods in another store. ^^NyaF' is another store 
name. True, a community offers different churches, 
but the function of each is not to tear down another. 
It is to defeat the forces of iniquity. It is not necessary 
to the progress of our cause to advertise denominational 
differences on a national scale. Herein lies a suggestion 
for the churches of a community. ^^Much might be 
gained by the forming of one committee composed of 
members representing all denominations in the com- 
munity which should have charge of all publicity or 
advertising. A regular office force could be maintained 
and the entire work carried on in a businessHke manner 
with very little additional cost to the individual churches. 
The added costs would be easily covered in the added 
results obtained.''^ 

A step in the right direction has been taken by the 
denominational colleges in many States. Recognizing 
the inherent unity of their appeal, and the non-com- 
petitive character of their work, in several States they 
now regularly do their advertising together, even to 
the printing of the several college calendars side by 
side in the columns of the daily press. A larger, more 
attractive space can be had at less cost. The spirit 
of good will thus manifested reacts favorably upon 
both the colleges and their prospects. 

The day of recognized national advertising for the 
church does not spell the end of denominations, but 
it does promise an end to the accusation of selfishness, 
the charge that one church thrives upon the defeats 
of another. 



8 Mr. Herman A. Groth. 



I40 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

AID TO THE LOCAL PROBLEM 

There are two sides to this question. One is the 
responsibihty of the local church to take advantage 
of the demand created by national advertising; the 
other is the responsibility of the general church to give 
the local church directly the benefit of its larger organ- 
ization. This it can do by acting as a clearing house 
to coordinate and give direction to local advertising 
campaigns, by furnishing counsel when a local church 
has some problem to be solved by advertising, and by 
supplying high-grade material for copy, properly pre- 
pared or arranged. 

Direction. — An example of how the general pub- 
licity department of a church may unify and direct 
local efforts was that afforded in the Methodist Cen- 
tenary Campaign by the "publication of a Bulletin 
for the Four-Minute Men under the name of ^Missiles.' 
This was issued every other week, size 8 by ii, con- 
taining from 1 6 to 20 pages. As a ^house organ' it 
would rank among the best in the country.''^ 

In the chapter on "The Seasonal Approach' ' mention 
was made of the fine opportunity which National Thrift 
Week gives for the presentation of stewardship. The 
detailed directive plan of the Interchurch World Move- 
ment for the observance of this period in 192 1 might 
well serve as an example of how national advertising 
can help the local church advertiser. 

"On ^Share With Others Day,' January 23, and on 
the day previous, Saturday, January 22, the news- 
papers should be dominated with the ^Share-With- 
Others' idea. The local ministerial association might 
invite representatives of the local press, both of the 

9J. T. B. Smith. 



NATIONAL ADVERTISING 141 

editorial and advertising departments, to attend one 
of its meetings to discuss the possible ways of cooperating 
in regard to publicity. 

^ ^Newspaper advertisements may be secured in several 
different ways: 

^^i. It may be possible to get the local Thrift Com- 
mittee to buy liberal space out of their Thrift Week 
budget. This was done in 1920 in such cities as Cin- 
cinnati, Sacramento, Topeka, and Saint Paul. As an 
illustration of the copy used, the following was taken 
from the Topeka Daily State Journal: 



Share With Others Day 

''And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due 
season we shall reap if we faint not." 

Thrift for the sake of money alone is a cold thing, 
but Thrift for the enlargement of life is a very hu- 
man thing. 

Go to Church Sunday 

And hear your minister connect Thrift with Religion. 



^^2. It may be possible to get local business men who 
are members of the church or congregation and who 
contract regularly for advertising space to adapt their 
copy on the dates desired for ^Share-With-Others' 
idea. This can be done by simply running at the top 
or bottom of the copy This is Share With Others Day,' 
or by changing the copy itself. For instance, a bank 
in Joplin, Missouri, put the following in its regular 
space: 



142 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 



Share With Others Day 

No man can live all to himself. Cooperation is the 
watchword of success in every relation of human 
life. To succeed, you must share with others. 

It is, therefore, both a duty and a privilege for you 
to cooperate with others in making National Thrift 
Week an overwhelming success in Joplin. 

Your savings account started any day during Na- 
tional Thrift Week at the Conqueror Trust Com- 
pany will receive interest at sH per cent from January 
I, 1920. 



^Xocal department stores in most instances will run 
at least a box in their advertisement with the words, 
'This is Share With Others Day of National Thrift 
Week.' 

''It may be possible on this occasion to get all the 
churches to unite in advertising, enlarging their space 
and devoting the copy to the 'Share- With-Others' idea. 
In all of these advertisements, however, and in all of 
the meetings advertised, there should be no special 
collections nor solicitation of funds. 

"It would be very appropriate if the local Ministerial 
Association could appropriate funds from its treasury 
or from a specially raised budget to take a full-page 
display advertisement in all of the Saturday news- 
papers of January 22. While the principal copy would 
be devoted to the 'Share-With-Others' idea, it would 
also be possible to list the various churches, especially 
those where 'Share-With-Others' sermons would be 
given. 

"One of the most effective and least expensive means 



NATIONAL ADVERTISING 143 

of advertising National Thrift Week is the window 
display. It will be an easy matter to secure permission 
from local business men interested in the church to 
place ^Share-With-Others' posters in their windows 
and to allow the placing of original displays which can 
be worked into a window exhibit using the poster as 
a central object. It also will be possible to get some 
of the banks to use both the poster and the 'Budget- 
Day' poster and to offer a budget book to anyone 
who will enter the bank to ask for it. 

''It is desirable, through newspaper articles and the 
use of paid space, to advertise the special Stewardship 
Study Courses which will be conducted during the 
period from January 24 to February 20. It is even 
more important that such newspaper publicity be used 
in advertising the enrollment period, which begins 
Sunday, February 20, in which it is hoped that every 
Christian in the community will be systematically 
offered the opportunity of acknowledging his steward- 
ship by signing a statement agreeing to give a definite 
proportion of his income to the Lord's work."^^ 

Counsel. — This is a feature of national publicity 
bureaus which has not developed greatly as yet. But 
as the possibilities of church advertising are more 
completely developed it will be possible for a local 
church facing an important building campaign, or an 
evangelistic campaign, or a community building cam- 
paign, or any other special or protracted endeavor, to 
write its general board and ask for expert assistance. 
Plans will be standardized to cover the majority of 
conditions, and the local church will no longer be de- 
pendent upon the immediate local talent. The execu- 
tion, of course, will rest with the local committee, but 

w Mr. E. A. Hungerford. 



144 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

they will have something to guide their efforts. The 
Epistles of Paul are an historic example of how the 
solution of local problems may be aided by expert 
advice. 

The Presbyterian Department of Publicity, with 
offices at Chicago, is one of the pioneers in this field 
and has a program of cooperation with the local church 
which extends from pamphlets suggesting copy for 
^^Bulletin Board Sermonettes'' to expert advice for any 
phase or problem of local church advertising. 

Something of this nature is now being done in some 
fields of church activity, and as soon as advertising 
becomes a more commonly used agency a similar de- 
velopment is inevitable. 

Cooperation. — The whole proposition of national 
advertising rests upon the fact that there are common 
interests. The entire project is one of cooperation, 
but here is meant particularly cooperation in the way 
of furnishing cuts, copy, and statistics for local adver- 
tising purposes which could not be obtained by local 
effort alone. 

^'One of the most effective of the many means of 
publicity in the Methodist Centenary campaign was a 
series of twenty posters in from two to eight colors 
that were displayed in bulletin boards in front of 
churches. These posters were prepared by eminent 
artists. The series ran twenty weeks. 

^^A series of ^Graphics' was prepared to present effec- 
tively the story of the sixteen great divisions which 
constitute the work in the home and foreign fields. 
These 'Graphics' were 9 by 12 inches in size. They 
contained sixteen pages, were printed on heavy cameo 
paper, the cover of the same stock as the inside but of 
heavier weight, with from three to four colors on the 



NATIONAL ADVERTISING 145 

cover and either one or two on the inside pages. They 
covered such subjects as Africa, China, India, European 
Reconstruction, the Frontier and City Mission. They 
were sold at cost sufficient to cover manufacture and 
made possible to the smallest church a grade of adver- 
tising otherwise absolutely impossible. "^^ 

There will be some who will ask: ^^Does not a thor- 
ough plan of national advertising mean an increase 
in the bureaucracy of the church? Will it not become 
top-heavy?" The answer must frankly be given that 
it will unless the church hold itself rigidly to the great 
task before it. If the institution becomes self-conscious, 
or if it becomes the end rather than the means, then 
there is a real danger to the Kingdom. But this ques- 
tion appears in all lines of effort. It is an unsolved 
problem in the State. It is a recognized condition in 
capitalistic industry. There is no dogmatic answer. 
The only guarantee that the machine will not become 
greater than the message is the character of the men 
who compose it. And that will be true for every kind 
of an organization. We surely can hope that men 
engaged in the work of spreading the gospel of service 
will be true servants of the cause rather than masters 
of a machine. 



11 John T. Brabner Smith. 



THE BUDGET: HOW TO OBTAIN FUNDS 

The Cost of Advertising 

The cost of advertising in sixty churches 
The mounting cost of advertising 

Why Spend Money for Advertising? 

Is the money thus spent justifiable? 
Reasons for church advertising 

Plans for a Budget 

An interchurch budget 

If not in the general church budget 

Advertising properly included in the church budget 



^ X 

THE BUDGET: HOW TO OBTAIN FUNDS 

"It was not many years ago that worthy church 
members would have been greatly shocked at the 
mere thought of applying business methods of getting 
business to the church organization as a means of 
increasing attendance, collections, and gifts. But that 
antagonistic attitude has to a very great extent dis- 
appeared/'^ and "now cost is usually the first objection 
advanced at the suggestion of church advertising. 
The high cost of Kving/ the minister says, Vill not 
enable me to spend a penny that isn't absolutely neces- 
sary.' Against such an argument, as in the develop- 
ment of commercial advertising, the solicitor is simply 
up against the necessity of proving that it is not a dead 
expense but a productive investmentJ^^ 

THE COST or ADVERTISING 

In planning a program of church advertising the 
question "What will it cost?" is raised immediately. 
Granted that it is not a luxury but a necessity, there 
remains the problem of actually approving it as an 
item in the general budget. 

The cost of advertising in sixty churches. — 
"A questionnaire on this subject, sent to some two 
hundred ministers of churches of varying denomina- 
tions, brought sixty most interesting replies. For 
example, we learn that approximately $210 is the 
average amount yearly spent for advertising. The 

1 Mr. Herman A. Groth. 2 Mr. Frank D. Webb, the Baltimore Nevvs. 

149 



ISO HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

amounts varied from $5 spent by a church having 
three hundred members, to the sum of $1,500 spent 
by a church having a membership of two thousand. 
Of those who spent money for this purpose 80 per cent 
reported that the money was provided by the church 
treasury, the amount being an item of the church 
budget. Ten per cent stated that the pastor per- 
sonally financed all of the advertising. Another 5 
per cent explained that the fund was raised by personal 
subscriptions of a few members, while the remaining 
5 per cent reported a specific subscription fund for 
this purpose alone. 



EVERY CHURCH 

io become a more 
iMPonrANT FACTOR, 

Li/e q/' the Community 

in which it is established mv&t - 



ADVERTISE 

as a regular part of- 
THE CHURCH BUSINESS- 



It must apply 

Business Principles. 



It must use methods of 
Interesting ♦"•Public 
in its message 



Detail & Mechanical 

end o/ Advertising 

Not duty ^ Minister 

but delegated to 
Special Committee 





Type of 
Adi/erilstng 



Newspaper 
Mvertisement 



Follow-up 
WorK 



Printed 
Matter 



TomaKe 

Casual VIsitiora 

Regular 

Members 



Letters 

I 



Ca^rds 



Invitations j 



Bulletins. 



jOutdoorSt^ 



Indoor Signs 



Window Ojds 



iT 



151 



152 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 



SvsTEMiZED Effort 

Paysy&r itsel/ 
in every ca$s _ 



Cost <y Anything can be 
jned^ured only hy 

Benefits Derived 



Tne Cost of 
Church iVDVERxisiNc. 
is in^tniicslmal when- 
compared to 




Example- 

$210 15 yearly 
average ihat Is 
spcnt^dduert'^9 

80%" report this 
Vs provided by 

Church Treei&vry 
Am item of 

Church Budget 

























Increased 




Increased 




Increased 




Increased 


ATTCWDANCE 




MEMBERSHIP 

1 




OFFERINGS 

1 




GIFr6 

_J 




1 
Increased 




1 
Incre^vsed 




1 
Increased 








DEVOTION 






INTELLIGENCE 




1 INTEREST 







"The fact that 8o per cent of those replying tell us 
that the advertising appropriation is a regular item 
appearing in the general church budget is most signifi- 
cant. It emphasizes clearly that those who make up 



HOW TO OBTAIN FUNDS 153 

the personnel of the Finance Committee have recog- 
nized the importance of applying advertising principles 
to church business, and have further recognized that 
advertising is essential to ^Getting Business' for the 
church, if we may carry the metaphor a little further.''^ 

The moxxnting cost of advertising. — In the day of 
mounting prices, printing and paper have not shown 
a tendency to lameness or halting step. The fact of 
the high cost of labor and materials may seem dis- 
couraging at first, but in the long run it will have some 
positively good results. It will tend to force the eradi- 
cation of promiscuous and predatory advertising. 
Only those forms will survive, and only those types 
will be employed, that can demonstrate their ability 
to produce desirable results. 

Time was when printing and stock were so cheap 
that there was less incentive to be discriminating or 
careful than at present. Furthermore, the science of 
advertising had not been developed, and patrons of 
the church's loosely conceived schemes of advertising 
had Kttle critical judgment with regard to them. Gen- 
eral information concerning the technique of adver- 
tising, however, has made it increasingly difficult for 
the church to get special contributions for this phase 
of its work. Henceforth, the advertising projects of 
the church must be sound business propositions. 

The time has come when churches must face squarely 
the fact of the legitimate cost of advertising. Only 
in limited regions can the J&nancial responsibility for 
it be shifted to blindly and ignorantly loyal patrons. 
It ought not to be done at all. To carry on a program 
of effective, dignified, systematic advertising involves 
the use of money. To provide the necessary means 

3 Mr. Herman A. Groth. 



154 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

makes unavoidable a larger and larger outlay as the 
cost increases. 

WHY SPEND MONEY FOR ADVERTISING? 

No church budget was ever large enough to care 
for all the items suggested by the various ofl&cials. 
The Finance Committee struggles with problems of 
elimination as well as inclusions. Usually it is only 
the necessary features that are approved. The money 
that is spent for advertising cannot be spent for other 
things. Unless the reasons for including this item in 
the budget are clear and convincing, other items will 
crowd it aside. 

Is the money thus spent justifiable? — The burden 
of paying the advertising bills rests ultimately upon the 
contributing members of the congregation. To make 
them all feel that these items are justifiable is an im- 
portant matter. 

*Why does the church approve the budget of the 
Finance Committee with its appropriation for adver- 
tising? Because the members have seen the results; 
because they know it pays. As one minister wrote us, 
^Advertising has brought increased attendance, increased 
devotion, and increased intelligence.' Another writes, 
^Advertising has meant to us more active members 
and an awakened church.' 

^That it does pay, we have concrete evidence on 
every side wherever judicious advertising has been ap- 
plied. Accordingly we should have little difficulty in 
obtaining necessary funds. We do not object to spend- 
ing money when we obtain value received. But in 
order to get this full value for money spent in adver- 
tising, business methods must be appHed."^ Just as 

* Mr. Herman A. Groth. 



HOW TO OBTAIN FUNDS 155 

drder is Heaven's first law, so discrimination is the first 
law of advertising. 

^^ Generally, the advertising solicitor finds that the 
church which says it hasn't funds for advertising is 
letting a few dollars a week slip through its hands on 
small forms of advertising which are confined in their 
appeal and scarcely broad enough to build up the 
regular church attendance and particularly to draw the 
type of people who will increase the church's revenue. 
Then the church advertising solicitor proceeds to show 
the size of a News advertisement which could be bought 
for the same money. "^ 

Reasons for church advertising. — Some churches 
look upon advertising as a missionary effort and are 
not concerned with equivalent financial returns. In 
its best use, all church advertising is missionary work, 
and its fruits are the fruits of the gospel message. Few 
churches ask that the sermon or the special music bring 
a doUars-and-cents return. These things may pay 
for themselves in cash, but primarily the church wants 
better lives and a better community. Statistics are 
not wanting to show that advertising may make the 
featuring of the Sunday evening service, for example, 
a profitable commercial venture, but in determining 
what forms of advertising are best suited to the special 
needs of a particular church those results should be 
considered which tell of increased effectiveness in the 
real work of the church. 

'^Not infrequently churches have tried advertising 
in a spasmodic manner without satisfactory results, 
and that will be offered as an argument against adver- 
tising. The solicitor immediately wants to know how 
the minister judges the lack of results, and will ask 

5 Mr. Frank D. Webb. 



iS6 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

if he has mingled with the dispersing congregation, 
shaking hands with the strangers, extending a cordial 
invitation for them to come again. Each stranger 
welcomed gives a better chance for ^repeat business/ 
and when the one, two, or several drawn each Sunday 
by advertising are added to the similar number drawn 
on preceding Sundays and are induced to come back 
by the magnetism and cordiahty of the service, the 
results of the advertising will soon be apparent/'^ 
Unless the church's program of publicity is an integral 
part of its general persistent policy and program, it 
cannot be expected to produce the largest returns. 

"After all, the value of advertising can be measured 
only by the benefit derived therefrom. Money spent 
by a church for advertising is of very small moment 
when viewed from the point of increased attendance, 
interest, collections, and gifts. This is the answer to 
the question, ^How to secure funds for church adver- 
tising?' If the clear-thinking members will look ahead 
and see the possibilities of enlarging the scope of the 
church's influence in the community through adver- 
tising, and will finance an advertising program, no 
matter how small, the results will be such that the 
other doubting members will be convinced that business 
methods and advertising plans have succeeded and in 
the future the advertising appropriation will be assured. 

"In financing any business proposition the business 
man tries every available means — he does his utmost. 
Why should he not make every effort to have the work 
of his church as successful? Why not let his church 
benefit from his experience in business? He has learned 
that advertising paid; he is spending thousands of 
dollars annually in advertising; should he not be willing 

• Mr. Frank D. Webb. 



HOW TO OBTAIN FUNDS 157 

that a part of his contribution to his church be spent 
for advertising? Should he not urge that advertising 
be a regular part of the church business?''^ 

The reasons for advertising must be supplemented 
by reasons for the use of particular methods of adver- 
tising. There are channels of publicity that are par- 
ticularly suited to the needs of distinct types of churches 
and communities. No doubt some money will have to 
be lost in experimenting. However, the question is 
not, Are there going to be losses? It is, rather, this: 
Are the losses profitable because they result in valuable 
discoveries? 

PLANS FOR A BUDGET 

No church can intelligently plan a budget for ad- 
vertising unless it has a well-defined general program 
and poKcy. The program should first be determined 
upon, and then a suitable advertising campaign can 
be planned to back it up. Both should be clearly 
defined before either is carried out. Otherwise the 
advertising appropriation might be out of proportion 
in view of the needs of other essential features. 

An interchurch budget. — In nearly every commu- 
nity the local churches have discovered common interests 
and needs. This is the day of interchurch cooperation. 
The pooling of advertising interests may take any one 
of a large number of forms. In one city the churches 
jointly purchase an entire page of the Saturday issue 
of the local paper. The Sunday services are all an- 
nounced, the remaining space being devoted to the 
featuring of messages specially appropriate to the 
public in general. 

Mr. Herman A. Groth, of the William H. Rankin 



7 Mr. Herman A. Groth. 



v^ 



158 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

Company, Chicago, carries this idea still further. He 
believes that ^'in many communities much might be 
gained by forming one committee comprised of mem- 
bers representing all denominations, which should have 
charge of all publicity or advertising. A regular office 
force could be maintained and the entire work carried 
on in a businesslike manner with very little additional 
cost to the individual churches. The increased cost 
would be easily covered in the added results obtained.^' 

If not in the general church budget. — The impor- 
tant thing is to get the advertising started. It may be 
that the only way to do this is for the pastor to pay 
for it himself. This should never be done except when 
it can be started in no other way. If done, it should 
be considered a temporary measure, and as soon as the 
results begin to show they should be pointed out to 
the church members who should then provide for further 
expenditure and reimburse the minister for what he 
has advanced. 

Oftentimes there are in the congregation men who 
have learned the value of advertising in their business. 
Ask them if they would be content to see their business 
establishments doing less than capacity work when 
advertising could make them fully efficient. Then ask 
why advertising should not be employed to bring the 
church up to maximum production with the resultant 
economies of large scale production. *Tn some churches 
a group of members defray all advertising expenses, in 
which, as a general thing, they take considerable pride."^ 

There may be a young people's organization, an 
organized Sunday school class, a troop of Boy Scouts, 
or a similar group that desires to do something definite 
for the church. Here is something definite and tangible, 

8 Mr. Frank D. Webb. 



HOW TO OBTAIN FUNDS 159 

offering distinct incentives to consistent effort. The 
time has passed when to the individual desirous of 
doing some church work must be assigned the task 
of playing the piano for Sunday school, or if it is a man, 
that of ushering for the Sunday services. Many a 
mediocre usher might do valiant service as a member 
of a publicity committee; many a lifeless young people's 
society would find a needed incentive in the respon- 
sibility for a church's advertising. 

Suppose you suggest to a young people's society, 
or to any organized group in the church, that it take 
over the financing of the church's advertising. Imme- 
diately there would be a definite goal for effort. The 
money spent would be seen at work. The amount 
expended could be credited on the church budget if 
desired. And it would become a matter of prime interest 
to the members of this group to see that the church made 
good its advertising. 

Once that the results of advertising are clearly dem- 
onstrated, there should be no difficulty in making the 
advertising appropriation a permanent item in the 
church's budget. 

Advertising properly included in the church 
budget. — A church that has become convinced of the 
value of a carefully planned program of advertising 
will make the annual appropriation for this item as a 
part of its general budget. The religious motive that 
finds expression in the building of a house of worship 
or in the placing of chimes in the belfry can also per- 
meate the selection and use of channels of publicity. 

Several considerations, however, need to be kept 
in mind in order to get the largest returns for the money 
spent. For some events, one kind of advertising is 
more sensible and more effective than others. A prayer 



i6o HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

meeting and a rummage sale are not advertised in the 
same way. In some communities one type of adver- 
tising will bring greater results, in proportion to its 
cost, than in another. The 'Wayside Pulpit" needs 
a busy street to be most effective. Moving picture 
slides and window cards are relatively cheap in nearly 
every community. Every church can afford a bulletin 
board, and should see to it that one is used one hundred 
per cent of the time. The use of the mimeograph has 
been found to produce very satisfactory results with 
a very meager outlay of money. Within certain lim- 
itations, it is well to take advantage of public interests 
already awakened. This can be done without gaining 
the undesirable reputation for constantly trying to 
elbow one's way into the limelight, and without creating 
the practical necessity of approaching the near-ridiculous 
in order to gain the attention of the public at large. 



XI 

HOW ADVERTISING BUILDS THE CHURCH 

The Recognition of Responsibility 
Arousing the membership 
Freedom from spasmodic efforts 
The authority and leadership of the church that is 
known 

Increasing the Revenue 

The Baptists set a world's record 
A long term educative effort 
An intensive drive 

Multiplying the Points of Contact 
Increasing church attendance 
Capturing the community 



" XI 
HOW ADVERTISING BUILDS THE CHURCH 

What are the results of church advertising? What 
may the church which advertises legitimately demand 
to attest the efl&cacy of its methods? How may it 
determine what is the proper return for its appropri- 
ations? These questions the director of church adver- 
tising must be prepared to answer. 

THE RECOGNITION OF RESPONSIBILITY 

The first thing which advertising should do for the 
church is to make the members of the church aware 
of their responsibility for its advertised program. 
"Getting the people inside the church is one thing; 
keeping them is another."^ It may be necessary to 
point out to the church members the fact that it is 
up to them to ^'deliver the goods advertised." If the 
advertising has called attention to a need on the part 
of the people at large and then has promised that the 
church can supply that need, it is up to the church 
to keep faith with the public. 

Arousing the membership. — If the program of the 
church has been properly worked out, this will call 
for more than merely good sermons on the part of the 
preacher. The church that works at capacity has an 
appropriate type of service for every member to per- 
form. Each must do his part. But it is emphatically 
true that every agency must function if the advertising 
is to be made good. The responsibility for the sin- 

1 Dr. Horace West wood. 

163 



i64 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

cerity and validity of the churches advertising comes 
back to every member of the church, and they will not 
be slow to recognize this fact. If the director of adver- 
tising should fail to establish this fact as a conviction 
of the church members, the whole program of adver- 
tising must fail, since no permanent spiritual structure 
can be built upon a mere repetition of unfilled promises. 
But, fortunately, human nature is such that judicious 
advertising dislodges and makes available whole areas 
of consecrated energy not otherwise at the disposal of 
the church. 

^^The fact is," said Dr. Carl D. Case, in speaking of 
the efforts of the Oak Park, Illinois, Baptists to build 
a church by advertising, ^'that we hit chiefly at the 
community, thinking our church would do its duty 
anyway, but found at the close of the campaign that 
we had hit, not the community, but the church. We 
shot at the goose and hit the gander. The community 
failed us; the church arose to twice its normal strength. 
We had made the church feel that the eyes of the com- 
munity and the world were upon it. Every argument 
was a boomerang and banged us on the head. We 
had run into our own barrage. The church and con- 
gregation subscribed nearly the entire $300,000 raised; 
the community only about $1,500. Our advertising 
had been repetitious, up-to-date, hopeful, confidential, 
constructive, truthful, frank, inciting, altruistic, patri- 
otic, historical, challenging, religious. Its aim was to 
get everybody talking. Its immediate object was to 
get contributions from an unwilling public. Instead, 
it made us do the job ourselves. After all, isn't the 
best part of advertising to keeo interested your old 
customers?" 

Freedom from spasmodic efforts.— Another conse- 



ADVERTISING BUILDS THE CHURCH 165 

quence growing out of this recognition of responsibility 
is that the church will be freed from the inherent weak- 
ness of spasmodic efforts. A comprehensive, long-term 
program is undertaken. A far-off goal is set. With 
a laity aroused to the fact that its honor is at stake, 
ineffectiveness during the pastorate of a relatively 
weak personality will be reduced to the minimum 
while the achievements of the alert and inspiring pastor 
will be magnified. There should come to the adver- 
tising church a continuity of service that the church 
subject to changing leadership and fluctuating in- 
fluences of environment can never know. The minister 
who comes to a church that is accustomed to adver- 
tising a certain grade of service and then producing 
what it has advertised will do his very best, and will 
use every power God has given him to see to it that 
he likewise lives up to what is expected. To the con- 
scientious institution of pemianent character, adver- 
tising is self -insurance. 

The authority and leadership of the church that 
is known. — ^Another valuable by-product of advertising 
for the church is the authority or recognition which 
it is accorded by the pubKc at large. Many a church 
has earned and paid for prestige while others, less 
courageous and vigorous, have looked on in en\^. 
Naturally, when people hear of a church repeatedly 
they think it is doing something. Live institutions 
awaken interest and respect. And consequently, just 
as people are interested in knowing what any man in 
the public eye, be he movie hero or Presidential candi- 
date, thinks on certain subjects, so are they ready to 
listen when the opinion of an eminently successful 
church is expressed, or when its detailed projects are 
heralded. People want to be identified with a ^Vell- 



i66 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

known" concern. They respond to the authority of 
success. 

If ^^Saint Paul's" is a synonym for community serv- 
ice, ^^Saint Paul's" attitude on civic and social ques- 
tions will be awaited with interest. If ^^Saint Paul's" 
has a Christianity that radiates good will to all men, 
anything that calls attention to its services will re- 
ceive respectful consideration. People will want a 
share in its achievements. If '^Saint Paul's" is known 
favorably throughout the community, its influences 
cannot be confined within the four walls of a church 
building. For leadership is spontaneously recognized. 
"A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." In re- 
ligious matters people are particularly dependent. 
The church that strikes a positive note, that puts 
itself on record as undertaking a worth-while project, 
has already met the conditions of an awakened and 
favorable attitude on the part of a larger constituency. 

INCREASING THE REVENUE 

A very tangible, but by no means the most important, 
evidence of the efficacy of a church's advertising is 
found in the collection plate. That advertising does 
increase the church's revenues has been demonstrated 
repeatedly. 

The Baptists set a world's record. — The Northern 
Baptists expended more money for display advertising 
in the spring of 1920 than any one denomination ever 
appropriated before for newspaper and magazine space 
in one year. The director of publicity, Mr. Lupton 
A. Wilkinson, declared: ^'If the results were measured 
coldly and from the standpoint of money alone, that 
appropriation would rank as one of the wisest a religious 
body ever made. It may interest advertising men to 



ADVERTISING BUILDS THE CHURCH 167 

know that the Baptist campaign set a new world's 
record for per capita giving in a money ^drive.' With 
a total constituency of 1,475,000 members, including 
minors, the Baptist Board of Promotion, with returns 
incomplete, has pledges totaling $60,000,000 on hand. 
A Httle of this, it is true, comes from outside the ranks, 
but that excess is due entirely to the advertising pro- 
gram/' 

A long term educative effort. — When George 
M. Fowles became treasurer of the Board of Foreign 
Missions for the Methodist Episcopal Church in 19 13, 
he was much impressed with the value of the annuity 
plan of the church and concluded that the reason more 
money was not received on that plan was because so 
few people understood its merit. He inaugurated a 
systematic program of advertising which has been con- 
tinued through seven years. The year before the 
campaign started the amount of annuity bonds written 
was $48,775. The amounts written during the succeed- 
ing years are as follows: 

1914 $ 88,142.00 

191S 94,531-84 

1916 136,110.00 

1917 387,683.00 

1918 230,928.12 

1919 712,264.00 

Of this result, Mr. Fowles said, in speaking to the 
Church Department of the Associated Advertising 
Clubs of the World: ^ While the results have not been 
entirely due to advertising, it must be admitted that 
advertising played a very important part. Chief 
among the influences at work must be placed the pub- 
Hcity given to this annuity form of giving in the secular 
and rehgious papers." 



FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of O^JC PARI 
02SO,OOO Buiilding' Fund Camp^ilgm 



TDECEMPER. ZO 



A Message to Our Neighbor GHs^ns 

CJ^O»j^Jj4jt tW .. f^ l» o.-,l, or.,J»„ _ 



DECEMBER. 2.7 



A Reply to' Oak Leaves Editorial 







JANUARYS 



!,» vmg M/> to a great challenge 

Some tuidi church hiitorf o( (nienx to 0>k Park 






Ht»J^=JtS?i!t^i^': 






JANUARY lO 



Gird up your loins-Produce 

H-.J.i. !>»«-» The Gre.tDr»ve mote 




Hn«l.tfa«<iib. 
Kriptlon attL 

TODAY - 

WehiveMov 

• osfa W.ibuit 


» New Church Fund 
■ The pTB Baptist Oiuidi. 


rri,T^ss-"jr-«— '- 




^■-|evosr:^aar5— 



JANUARY T7 



The Determining Day 

6T;VDAY. JANUARY IS 

tjfctrfJ u Bm B -KlM Clank 

The Sczndml of Coopetatloti'' 



roiir i'trjoaa/ 5fOTr_ 



Final "Rouod-Up" Meetlnjs 



JANUARY Z-q 



^rdgres^ to date 



The Campaign Ktnu— $301,069 
Thi Further Nad— f 50,000 



cfss. s^wL. %^. 



The better Ike giving — ike beltrr the building 



RESULT :- ^SOy 000 Over-subscribed 

(A series of open letters to the public gathered in poster form. Original size, 
28Kx33^ inches.^ 

1 68 



ADVERTISING BUILDS THE CHURCH 169 

An intensive drive. — Of the Methodist Centenary 
campaign, Mr. Fowles further said: ^The proposition 
was to raise $105,000,000 within a five-year period. 
Although the figures submitted at first seemed stag- 
gering, they were gradually accepted as within reach 
of the church. The plan was to spend at least one 
year in getting before the church conditions at home 
and abroad and in laying plans for a five-year program. 
When the time came for the financial drive, the entire 
church knew of the program, and although the figures 
submitted at first seemed utterly beyond realization, 
they were gradually accepted as within the range of 
possibiKty. The actual subscriptions reported amounted 
to $115,000,000. We do not believe this result could 
have been achieved without wide publicity." 

These figures suggest the ability of advertising to 
pay for itself. They represent advertising of both the 
educational and the intensive campaign type. In the 
local church the financial results are even more direct. 
Several churches have demonstrated the fact that 
advertising can increase the Sunday evening collection 
so as to cover all advertising appropriations. 

^^One pastor reports that the $25 a week spent for 
advertising by his church brings in $100 in loose col- 
lections which do not include regular contributions. 
Another pastor says that he spent $60 one month in 
advertising for a special purpose, and the church re- 
ceived $400 in returns. Another church, through ad- 
vertising, succeeded in raising its membership from 
500 to 1,800, removed a debt of more than $20,000, 
brought in $70,000 for debts, improvements and endow- 
ment, and established a yearly budget of more than 
$30,ooo."2 

2 Dr. Christian F. Reisner. 



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170 



ADVERTISING BUILDS THE CHURCH 171 

MULTIPLYING THE POINTS OF CONTACT 

But the church does not exist to make money, and 
if that were all advertising did for it, there could be 
raised argument against its adoption. One of the 
basic reasons for the church's using advertising is that 
it multiplies the points of contact with the people of 
the community and thus increases its opportunity for 
service. 

Increasing church attendance. — Professor George 
Jackson, dean of an English theological school, is quoted 
by Dr. Christian F. Reisner as saying, ^^Christ's miracles 
were only a bell tolled to bring people to hear his words." 
^'In Saint Louis recently an anonymous patron paid 
for an extensive posting of Scripture verses in street 
cars and on billboards. The whole city felt the effect 
of it. Go-to-Church Sundays have packed auditoriums 
in every city where tried. The merchants of Bing- 
hamton. New York, gave their advertising space to the 
churches on one Saturday, and the next day the attend- 
ance in the churches of that city was increased thirty 
per cent. One business man, known in all America, 
was on the verge of self-destruction when a strong 
church advertisement drew him into a service where 
the message brought courage and peace and saved 
him for a great career."^ 

Capturing the community. — When the church at 
Benton Harbor, Michigan, of which the Rev. C. Jefferson 
McCombe was pastor, was burned in January, 1919, 
the members immediately laid plans for the building 
of a *Teace Temple.'' An extensive and comprehensive 
publicity campaign was undertaken, including the 
hiring of a special reporter for the press. Editorials 



' Dr. Christian F. Reisner. 



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ADVERTISING BUILDS THE CHURCH 173 

were written commending the project. Eight days 
had been assigned for the raising of the amount needed, 
$100,000. In less than five days the quota was over- 
subscribed. Of this achievement Dr. McCombe said, 
"We believe this would have been utterly impossible 
in the absence of an intensive and extensive publicity 
campaign, which not only sold the church temporarily 
to the town for the purpose of obtaining from Jew and 
Gentile, Protestant and Catholic, colored and white, 
saint and sinnei, the amount necessary for its erection, 
but incidentally through their investment, we have 
secured their permanent interest, and the whole county 
became familiar with the plans and purposes of the 
new Temple.'' Where the people's treasure is, there 
will their heart be also. 

In demonstrating how advertising builds the church 
it is very easy for the advertiser to lay the emphasis 
upon those features which are quite apart from the 
real mission of the church. It is to be borne in mind 
constantly that any attempt to estimate the value 
of church advertising solely on its material returns 
is misleading. A true test of the efficacy of church 
advertising cannot be made without considering the 
ultimate goal of the church itself. The more immediate 
returns suggested in this chapter are all necessary and 
vital benefits which should be sought for, but the final 
test is determining the degree to which the adver- 
tising helps the church to achieve its real mission — 
to do its essential work. 



XII 
THE GOAL OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

The Message Supreme 

Advertising is an aid to, not a substitute for religion 

The Strategic Position of the Church 
The rural church 
The city church 

The Tasks of the New Day 
An intensified appeal 
A day of innovations 

The Church Aggressive and Resourceful 
Fields white unto harvest 

Advertising an evidence of spiritual hardihood and 
vision 



- XII 
THE GOAL OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

The goal of church advertising is not the church. 
It is not the building of any temporary structure. It 
is not the making of a name for anyone who in the 
role of pastor is guiding the spiritual lives of a church 
group. The goal of church advertising is identical 
v/ith the goal of the church. All advertising must 
stand this supreme test. 

One of the speakers^ at the IndianapoKs Convention 
called attention to an editorial which appeared in The 
Continent in March, 1920. In part it said: 'There 
has been manifest during late years in many places 
a good deal of craze about religious pubHcity, but much 
of the talk that one heard and the writing that one 
read on the subject exposed a very low conception of 
the purpose to be aimed at through this means. It 
has seemed, indeed, to associate itself with that whole 
misthinking notion that curses the church everywhere: 
that the church exists to make a success in the world 
— that is, a success in fame, numbers, and wealth. . . . 
For this purpose they want not a publicity man, though 
they wish to call him such, but they want a plain press- 
agent.'' 

THE MESSAGE SUPREME 

We need to remind ourselves over and over again, 
and in as many ways as possible, that church adver- 
tising is an aid to, not a substitute for, religion. Mr. 
Lupton A. Wilkinson, who was quoted in the last 

1 The Rev. Charles D. Alden, D.D., pastor of the First Universalist Church, 
Columbus. 

177 



178 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

chapter as to the efficacy of publicity for raising money 
for church purposes, declares: "The future of church 
advertising, and the vital need of the church for its 
increase, lies, however, far removed from the financial 
campaign. Only lack of constructive effort on the 
part of the advertising profession can delay the day 
when religion will tell its story from the educational 
and inspirational standpoint, from month to month 
and week to week, in the great organs of written sales- 
manship. A campaign of common-sense sermonizing 
in the press, on a scale surpassing any industrial dis- 
play campaign, is certainly within the range of events 
which the advertising man can bring to pass. 

"It is the glory of the church that the argument 
of efficiency alone will never convert the church whole- 
heartedly to advertising as a major tool. The question 
which I have had constantly to face in the develop- 
ment of the advertising idea among Baptists is: Ts 
it biblical? Does it follow the basic principles of the 
New Testament, or is it some material substitute for 
the proper way of advancing the kingdom of Christ?' 

"This attitude is a problem the advertising man 
must face. If industry had to be sold, painstakingly 
and with infinite skill, the realization of the full value 
of advertising, is it not natural that the church, which 
feels it has a sacred trust, should demand that it be 
shown in the matter of ultimate spiritual gain? 

"That which is most hkely to hold back the progress 
of church advertising is the attitude that religion and 
religious leaders are out-of-date and that advertising 
is the summum bonum which will save the church. 
If a man holds to those beUefs, he should, in justice 
to himself, his profession, and the church, devote his 
energy to some other section of the advertising field. 



GOAL OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 179 

"For the church has the divine fire within it. It is 
the highest expression of the ideaUstic impulse in man, 
the spirit of aspiration that distinguishes him from the 
lower orders. Advertising must, to achieve full fellow- 
ship, come to the church, not with a boast to improve, 
but with a sincere and humble desire to be of service. 
Advertising owes the church far more than the church 
will ever owe advertising, and if you are skeptical 
enough to doubt that, note for a while how consistently 
the unselfish ideal set forth in the Sermon on the Mount 
illuminates the higher levels of industrial display copy." 

THE STRATEGIC POSITION OF THE CHURCH 

In making advertising an ally of the church we are 
uniting one of the most powerful agencies for dissem- 
inating truth with the greatest institution representing 
truth that the world knows. Here indeed is message 
and carrier united. 

The rural church. — In discussing the strategic posi- 
tion of the rural church before the Church Depart- 
ment at Indianapolis, the Hon. Edwin T. Meredith, 
secretary of agriculture, told of the study made by 
the Office of Farm Management of the Department 
of Agriculture. The community about Belleville, New 
York, is found, in the past forty-five years, to have 
contributed to the other parts of the nation a total 
of two hundred and seven young people to points 
outside New York State, and approximately two hun- 
dred and fifty to points within the State, but outside 
the home county! 

Then said Mr. Meredith: ^^Here is the point I wish 
to emphasize: Aside from the schools, the institutions 
in this little community that gave form and character 
to these four hundred and fifty-seven lives were two 



i8o HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

country churches. . . . Foremost among the institutions 
in the rural community is the rural church. 

^We recognize the importance of guarding the purity 
of a spring; we do everything possible to protect the 
sources of a community's water supply, but are we 
doing enough to make pure and strong the moral forces 
in rural communities from which flow these living 
streams that enrich even the remotest parts of the 
nation? Who can measure the vital part of these typi- 
cal country churches? Nowadays we know enough 
of psychology to realize that the most lasting influences 
in life are those exerted before the completion of the 
adolescent period. The young people who went forth 
from Belleville were what Belleville homes, Belleville 
churches, and Belleville schools made them. Do you 
wonder that I urge the importance of the rural church, 
particularly when we remember that the history of 
Belleville is multiplied hundreds, if not thousands, of 
times in this country?" 

The further point which this study revealed makes 
the case complete. ^^These maps show that in the 
past generation the migration has been very largely 
to the great cities. If we can make adequate provision 
for the moral and religious life of our rural commu- 
nities, we shall have gone a long way toward keep- 
ing pure and eternally vigorous the hfe of the whole 
nation." 

The city church, — Neither rural nor city church can 
escape the responsibility. The one, in the heart of the 
country, must guard the purity and integrity of this 
important source of the nation's ideals. The other, 
in the heart of the congested city districts, must con- 
serve the work of the rural church under heavy handi- 
caps; it also must build reKgion into the Kves of sue- 



VOUR WORLD MARKET 

Population 1,6^0,000,000 




OiRISTlANlTY MAKES PEOPLE 
HEALTHX HAPPV &. PROSPEROUS 



i8i 



i82 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

ceeding generations of city-born and city-bred children. 
It must pass on its message to those new Americans 
who come from other lands. Both churches, rural and 
city, must discharge their permanent responsibility for 
all who come within their reach. 

In coming as an ally of an institution with so great 
a charge, and occupying so important a position, ad- 
vertising should develop its best forms. In such a 
position of trust, the church has a responsibility to use 
the most eflficient instruments of carrying its message 
that the modern world affords. 

THE TASKS OF THE NEW DAY 

In the swift reshaping of institutions and practices 
following the world war, there is no time for the church 
to consult its injured feelings if some of its traditions 
or customs seem overthrown and rendered obsolete. 
It can afford to surrender verbiage in the interest of 
living truth. While society is again crystallizing about 
new ideals and adopting new standards, the Church 
of Christ has an unprecedented opportunity to present 
its case. 

"New York city, having considered a $20,000,000 
Inter-Church quota for a year as a staggering proposi- 
tion, is revealed by the Income Tax Collector's report 
to have s^ent in excess of $100,000,000 during each 
month in the spring of 1920 for taxable luxuries. 

"Surely, the church would be the last institution 
to maintain that these contrasting figures are due to 
any inherent insensitiveness on the part of mankind 
toward appeals to the higher instincts. The basic 
theory on which the church has advanced is the belief 
that the tendency toward religion is inborn in all of us. 
Even the great atheists, defiant in their blasphemy, 



GOAL OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 183 

admitted freely that the desire to worship and the 
impulse toward spirituality are implanted in every 
human breast. 

^^The church has come to the point where it must 
ask itself, not the boy in Sunday school nor the business 
man in his ofl&ce, why other institutions and other 
influences have more hold on the daily life of millions, 
even of millions who rate themselves Christians, than 
the church itself?''^ 

The present-day conditions force upon the church 
consideration of the need of a more intensified appeal. 
Concerning the intrinsic value of the Christian message 
there can be no doubt. The human heart does respond 
when the full, true story of the Son of man is adequately 
presented to it. The problem lies in the method of 
presentation. Competitors are numerous, attra,ctive, 
persistent. The spoken word should be supplemented 
by the written page and by various kinds of pictures. 
Ancient methods of spreading the gospel must be tested 
for present-day practicability. Let us match problem 
with solution; twentieth-century weapons for twentieth- 
century wrongs. 

A day of innovations. — The sober mind of the world 
is asserting itself again after the heated frenzy of war. 
But the memory of war and of the unrealities which 
it ground to powder remains as an influential factor in 
the thinking of the new day. Sincerity and honest 
frankness are virtues that are rated more highly than 
ever before. It is more difficult for shams to survive. 
The church will not escape this pragmatic searching 
because of any alleged divine right of existence. The 
iconoclastic spirit of the age is demanding merit as 
the sole test for survival. If the church grasps at 

2 Mr. Lupton A. Wilkinson. 



V 



i84 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

advertising as a saving straw without regard to its 
own character, it will indeed prove a feeble support; 
but if it looks upon advertising as an ally for the ad- 
vancement of Christ's kingdom, tremendous chapters 
of progress will be recorded. The goal of church adver- 
tising is not the preservation of the institution as such, 
but the extension of its service, the accomplishment 
of its mission. 

'Too much of our church advertising is frankly 
selfish in its aim, and the man of the street knows it. 
To convey the impression that the aim behind your 
advertising is to get people to join YOUR church will 
in the end defeat itself. The church is an altruistic 
institution, and however efficient it justly and rightly 
strives to be in a business way, this is a means and 
not an end. The best church advertising, therefore, 
is that which is not aimed at results in the form of 
filled pews and large collections, but which seeks to 
meet the hunger and need of men. 

'Paradoxical as it may seem, this is the kind that 
will pay, though the feature of gain should not be 
the end. The ideals for which our church stands are 
needed by the community. We advertise those ideals 
because we sense this need, leaving the immediate 
results to take care of themselves. We believe that if 
our ideals reach the community irrespective of the growth 
of any particular communion, we are rendering the 
community effective service. 

''The objection will be raised that we are mixing 
faith with business, and that they won't mix. Too 
long has the world labored under this delusion. They 
must mix if civilization is to endure. All permanently 
successful business is built upon two principles: first, 
Faith in the best in human nature; second. Service to 



GOAL OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 185 

mankind.''^ If that be true for an ordinary business, 
why is it not for the church? 

THE CHURCH AGGRESSIVE AND RESOURCEFUL 

Roger Babson, the business statistician, says, ^^The 
need of the hour is not more legislation; the need of 
the hour is more rehgion." Similar opinions may be 
gathered from scores of authorities in widely distributed 
fields of endeavor. But side by side with them may 
be placed as many charges by careful students that the 
church is finding it difficult to make the readjustments 
demanded by the new situation. Of one thing we may 
be sure: the world never abolishes an indispensable in- 
stitution. Institutions are indispensable to society so 
long as they make a definite contribution to human 
welfare. The most superficial survey of the world's 
present conditions reveals the limitless need for those 
virtues and those ideals for which the church stands. It 
is largely through the ministry of this venerable institu- 
tion that the much needed increase in rehgion will come. 

Fields white unto harvest. — ^With nerves worn by 
disappointment, hearts made sick by following blind 
trails, and patience exhausted by the alarms of false 
prophets, the world turns its attention more and more 
to the time-tested spiritual realities. It is not for 
the church to berate the world. It is, rather, for the 
church seriously to search itself to be sure that it has 
pure motives, an unchallengeable desire to serve, a 
courage that is heaven-born, and an intelHgent pro- 
gram for service. Then it may approach the world, 
using the most effective methods of pubKcity known, 
and offer its message, being confident that its ministry 
will be gladly accepted. 

3 Dr. Horace Westwood. 



i86 HANDBOOK OF CHURCH ADVERTISING 

Advertising an evidence of spiritual hardihood 
and vision. — The church that holds clearly before it the 
supreme goal of its endeavor is in a position to acquire 
good judgment with reference to both materials for 
and methods of advertising. Having once set its mind 
to accomplish its divinely accredited mission, the 
power of initiative descends upon it. Resourcefulness 
is developed. Greater freedom of action is inevitable. 
Enthusiasm, courage, and self-forgetfulness follow in- 
evitably. 

Under such conditions advertising is inevitable. 
It reveals the church's determination to win souls for 
God. It means the waging of an aggressive warfare. 
The challenge of competitors is readily accepted. Con- 
fident of ultimate success, it attacks the strongholds of 
evil. 

Advertising is a weapon of the church miUtant. 
When properly made use of it suggests the presence 
of missionary zeal. It is not the method of shameless 
self-exaltation or of wanton intrusion into the shop 
and market place. It is, rather, the method of the 
one in the parable of our Lord who went out into the 
highways and hedges and compelled others to come in. 
The boldness of Peter on the day of Pentecost is not 
unlike the spirit of the modern church that has set 
its heart upon a campaign of witnessing to the truth 
of which it is the custodian. 

Paul met the people of Athens and Corinth, of Ephesus 
and Philippi, more than half way. He took the initi- 
ative in calling their attention to the Good News, the 
Gospel. In the parable of the sower, the seed was 
scattered liberally — we might almost say as recklessly — 
as are handbills, to-day. Some fall upon stony ground. 
But some take root and yield abundant returns. 



